Gotham has fallen silent.

The night is no longer broken by the sounds of crime. Children are no longer broken by the sudden crack of a gunshot. There are no more cries in the darkness. No tires screech as wailing sirens chase desperate men and women through narrow streets.

In a way, it is the Gotham I always dreamed of.

But this is no dream.

This is a perversion. This is a nightmare.

It is the silence of fear.

It is a silence that is only broken by the sound of marching feet. A sound that echoes around the world.

Marching feet. The rhythm of dictators.

Our world is now ruled by the iron fist-

-of a man of steel.

XXX

5 years ago...

Faster than a speeding bullet.

More powerful than a locomotive.

Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Super hearing trumps all of that tonight.

Because tonight I woke to the single greatest sound I've ever heard-

Clark Kent awakens from his slumber in the night. He sits up, and looks to the left to look at his wife, Lois Lane, who is still asleep.

Suddenly, she awakens. "Clark? What is it?" she asked. "Smallville...?"

Clark smiles at his wife.

-The sound of two heartbeats coming from one person.

Lois was having a baby. Clark jumps out of bed and paces the apartments anxiously.

"We need to get everything checked thoroughly. I'll contact Star Labs. There are people there I trust to be discreet." he said.

"Clark." Lois said.

"There shouldn't be any danger in the first trimester but I'm not leaving it to chance. We'll need a bigger place, obviously."

"Clark!"

"Maybe we should consider moving away from Metropolis. Smallville would be a much safer and more private place to raise a child with powers. Although I'd prefer Metropolis High to-"

Lois picks up a book from the side desk, and throws it at Clark's head. Since Clark is Superman, it didn't hurt him. But it sure got his attention.

"Did you just throw a book at me?" he asked.

"You're invulnerable, I should be able to throw satisfyingly hard objects at you sometimes." Lois explained. "I'm glad our fetus has a high school already, but I need you to slow down that super-speed brain. Let's just enjoy this moment."

Lois gets out of bed and moves close to Clark. They hold each other close, and smile.

Suddenly, Lois's smartphone goes off. She checks her phone, and reads the text message that was sent.

"It's the planet." she said. "An anonymous tip. Councilman Ives is taking a pay off at the docks tonight."

"I should come with you." Clark insisted.

"Oh, should you? I don't remember you being so protective before you found out I was pregnant." Lois said, getting dressed. "Maybe you only care about the baby. Ah-ha! Your plan is finally apparent, alien. You have come to this planet only to breed! And you have chosen Earth's most beautiful woman for your nefarious alien schemes. Clark, I'm not spending nine months sitting on the couch getting fat while you go out and fight death rays. That's not how I operate."

"I'll worry."

"I know." Lois smirked, putting on her jacket. "If only there was some way you can keep an eye on me at all times. If only you had some sort of incredible x-ray vision combined with telescopic vision and...wait a minute."

As Lois grabs her backpack, Clark's super hearing detects something from afar.

"What is it? Trouble?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. Maybe." Clark answered.

"Then we both have somewhere to be. Don't worry. Jimmy will be with me. I need a photo of the handover."

Lois cups her husband's chin in her hand, and they share a kiss.

"Go. Save the world." she said.

XXX

Meanwhile, in the dark alleys of Metropolis, Batman is fighting off a couple of thugs. Actually, he's giving them a run for their money.

Superman watches this. "What are you doing in Metropolis?" he asked.

"I'm on my way to Star Labs. Something sensitive was taken." Batman answered as he punched down a thug.

"You could have called." Superman said. He flies up. "Meet me up top when you're done."

With his grappling hook, Batman makes his way to a perch point over-looking Metropolis. Superman floats next to him.

"I have news." he said.

"Lois is pregnant." Batman said before Superman could say it.

"How did you-?"

"You're sweating, your pupils are dilated and your left hand is shaking. You don't usually show any outward signs of stress or fear. The last time I saw you this afraid, you were facing Doomsday." Batman explained.

Superman just grins at Batman's example.

"And I doubt it's Doomsday," Batman said. "You're grinning like an idiot."

XXX

Meanwhile at the docks, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen hide behind a container. They're waiting for Councilman Ives to show up.

"He's not coming, Lois." Jimmy said.

"Let's give our corrupt councilman ten more minutes to show, Jimmy." Lois said.

"Who shows up late to their own pay off? You know, if I had an hour's sleep for every anonymous tip we've followed to nothing, I'd be a far more rested person."

"Shh." Lois whispered. "Get your camera ready. Someone's here."

When they check to see who it is, they see a man in a gray coat and fedora. The cloaked man is just walking through the docks.

"That's not the councilman. He-" Jimmy stops and decides to take a picture.

Suddenly, someone in the shadows points a gun at the lens of the camera.

XXX

Back with Batman and Superman...

"We want you to be the godfather." Superman told Batman.

Batman looks over at Superman.

"Hey, look at that, 'The World's Greatest Detective' is surprised." Superman grinned. "I heard its heartbeat, Bruce."

As Batman and Superman overlook the city of Metropolis, Batman lightly smiles.

XXX

Back at the docks...

The shadow figure shoots his gun,...and the bullet goes right through the camera lens, and into Jimmy's head. Jimmy was dead.

"JIMMY!" Lois shouted in fear. She runs to his dead body, and kneels by it.

"Ew." said the figure. "I got some Jimmy on my shoe."

The shadow-covered man comes out of the shadows, and the cloaked figure joins him. They remove their fedoras, revealing them to be...The Joker and Harley Quinn.

"Hi, Lois." said the Joker crazily.

End of chapter. This is for those who want to read the story of Injustice in writing form rather than in comic book form. Until next time. Ciao.