Disclaimer: I do not own the Justice League/ JLU

Pyschotic

Pain

Wonder Woman leaned closer to the console Batman was working on. If he wasn't going to appreciate her bountiful curves and glowing skin then she'd impress him with her cunning and intellect instead. Not to say that she'd want a man to only like her for her looks, but life would be so much easier if he'd just be normal and do so! Or at least a compliment! She had men sending enough fan mail to bury a horse every day, and this fool didn't even look twice!

"So if we factor in the fact that whoever is behind all this has access to space technology, we narrow the list to just one!" Bruce's voice broke in on Diana's preoccupation.

"Yes, of course!" Diana agreed, having no idea what Bruce was on about. "And who is it?"

Batman frowned at her. "It's on the screen."

"Yes! I knew that!" Diana leaned toward the screen, letting her hair fall forward to cover her face. Damn the man for distracting her!

---

"Oh God, it hurts!"

You will insist on controlling the body.

"Take it. It's yours. I don't want it."

Uh, well, right now's not a good time for me…

"Wake Psychotic up. I don't care. Make it stop!"

I think we can pretty much write Psychotic off for the next couple of days.

"Just five minutes. Take over for just five minutes."

No really. I'm fine.

"I hate you."

---

"So, you think it's this Gered Corack? Who is he?" Diana scanned the information listed on the screen.

"He's one of the richest men alive. For the last twenty years he's been building up GC Enterprises. He has interests in all aspects of technology, from software and games to space technology. He could be richer than Lex Luthor. I've met him before. He seems honest, but he's the only man who could afford and organize this sort of thing." Batman replied.

"Couldn't it be Lex Luthor himself?" Diana asked.

"We don't know where Lex is, but he's no longer at the head of Luthor Corp, we know that much. The last we saw of him he disappeared with Darkseid. Corack is the only other man with the resources, except for me, of course."

"Of course." Diana echoed, dryly. "But why would Corack be doing this?"

"I don't know."

---

"Don't they stock like morphine or something up here? Where is the morphine?"

Uh, really, I couldn't tell you. Maybe you should call for someone and ask.

"Hello? Hello? Is anybody out there?"

I meant, use the buzzer.

"Smart ass."

---

"Corack acquired a weapons development company five years ago, and the Question uncovered some off-the-books links between some of his subsidiary security companies and some mercenaries in the last two years."

"So you think that's where he got his 'army'?" Diana asked.

"It's likely. The mercenary company they've been most in contact with is best known for its welcome of powered soldiers. They've had contracts with Atomic Skull in the past, and they'd be in the best position to locate and use a teleporter."

"Which would account for the attack on the convoy and the coordination with super-beings, but what about some of the other crises? Bank robberies, plane hijackings, satellite sabotage?"

"Corack's mercenaries have far-reaching contacts in many cities across the country. For the right price, they could get coordinated enough to hit them all at similar times. The hijacking occurred in an airline company owned by GC Enterprises, and a lot of the satellite in question's parts came from various companies that are ultimately owned by GC Enterprises. There's some well hidden link between GC Enterprises and every crises we've seen. It's complicated, but possible."

"Where would he get kryptonite?" Diana asked.

Batman just gave her a look. Diana sighed. That look did not say 'I strongly respect your intelligence and cunning'. In fact, that look most definitely said 'duh'.

---

"Why is nobody answering the buzzer?"

You buzzed it three seconds ago. Give them some time.

"But it hurts! It hurts so much! I just want some morphine! Is that too much to ask?"

You know, there's no guarantee they stock anything that strong.

"I would settle for half a gram of paracetemol if that's all they've got. Anything that's a proven painkiller will do. I'll even go for some Russian anesthetic if that's all they've got."

Russian anesthetic?

"A great big hammer applied with force to my head."

---

"Why would Corack want to discredit the Justice League?" Diana leaned back in her chair and contemplated the dark haired man smiling out of the newspaper picture from the clip on the screen.

Batman shrugged one shoulder. "He doesn't seem to have ever had any sort of interaction with the Justice League. His public image is that of the 'good, honest businessman'. He helps charities; he's a substantial donator to the Gates and Rockefeller Foundations. He has no wife, no family; his fortune is willed to charity, and he seems to be grooming younger protégés from within the company to take over on his retirement."

"That's his public image." Diana pointed out. "What about his personal life?"

"The Question looked into it. There doesn't seem to be any contradiction between how he acts in public and anything that's known about his private life. The only oddity is how quiet it's been kept..."

"How quiet what's been kept?"

"Well, nineteen years ago he was caught in the middle of a fight in Central City between Superman and some armed bank robbers. He was only bruised up a bit and knocked out, but his wife wasn't so lucky. She was 8 months pregnant and took a stray bullet to the head. They were taken to the same hospital, where she died four hours later, long enough for them to deliver the child. But there was some sort of electrical disturbance, the hospital had a black out. When they got everything back online the baby was dead. Corack woke thirty-six hours later having lost his wife and his child. The Question only found out about it because he picked up an article on the incident where they quoted Corack's name. Corack has concentrated solely on building his empire ever since, and has never mentioned it."

"The poor man." Diana murmured.

"It's odd, though." Bruce added musingly.

"What is?"

"The hospital records say the baby died, but that no body was released to the father. They say he didn't want it. But there's no record of a coroner being called in, or a body being processed for burial by the hospital either. The Question thought it was strange."

"But is it important?" Diana asked.

Bruce shrugged.

---

"Oh I can't believe this. I am actually going to have to get up…"

Well, you could just lie there really still and stop moaning.

"You want this body for a bit? Do you? Why don't you try out this pain for two minutes, and then you can tell me to stop moaning!"

It's amazing how much the magic takes out of us physically, isn't it?

"Amazing? It's a pain in the - "

Hey look, someone's outside!

"And why is there a picture window on a damned infirmary room?"

---

"So he could just be out for revenge." Diana suggested.

"Twenty years later?" Bruce asked.

Diana shrugged. "He's a hugely successful businessman. Obviously he knows how to be patient and bide his time. And what better way than to bring down the organization that Superman has worked so hard to build up?"

"It seems likely." Bruce agreed.

"So now we have to figure out what he's going to try next."

"I think we've got some time. A little less than we had before, but I don't think he can move to the next stage in the next few days, which is good. We're going to need Psychotic up and active again before he does. He thinks she's dead, so once again she's going to be our surprise element."

Diana frowned. She'd never been particularly happy with Psychotic's being on the Watchtower, or being part of the Justice League, but it looked like she'd been wrong about her. The girl was proving to be very useful. Even Superman was rethinking his opinion of her. Her power was undeniable.

Batman saved his data, pushed away from the console and stood up. "I'll get the Question to look into this and see if he can't find anything that'll give us a clue about what Corack's planning. Meanwhile, uh…"

Diana looked up expectantly. Bruce was looking down at her as if he'd only just noticed her and he seemed… uncomfortable. She felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth.

"I've got work to do." He snapped and turned on his heel.

Diana just settled back in her chair and grinned.

---

Hey it's the Flash! Finally! Some decent company!

"Decent company? You call the Flash decent company? He's a - "

Hush. He's coming in.