Author's Notes: This takes place early in the Justice League International years. If you aren't familiar with the JLI--don't worry! I always try to make my fics accessible. :) But some random factoids to get you started . . .
Maxwell Lord - He is a combo of a corporate head of the JLI and the PR man of the JLI. In recent years DC portrayed him as an Evil Secret Villain; as far as I'm concerned, this is nonsense. Max is not evil. Slimy, yes. Underhanded, yes. Greedy, certainly. But not Eeeeevil and Just Waiting to Shoot Everyone Mwa Ha Ha. FYI! Powers: doing corporate mergers?
Booster Gold - He is from the 25th century and traveled back in time to be a hero. He has JUST started his illustrious superhero career and it is not widely KNOWN that he's from the future. In fact, he has not told the League as much. Powers: none, but his future technology allows him to fly and blast things.
Barda - She grew up on Apokolips as part of the evil, crazy, roving elite "police" force there, but reformed, helped Mister Miracle escape, and married him. She is one tough lady. Powers: being incredibly tough and strong. (Also, tall.)
Captain Atom - He made his public superhero debut recently, but according to news stories he's been fighting a "secret battle against crime" since the 70s. However, no one has ever seen him until very recently. Powers: absorbing nuclear energy, being super strong and super tough, and being able to fly.
Batman - Chronically overworked. Powers: he's Batman, and he can breathe in space.
J'onn the Martian Manhunter - Chronically underpaid. Powers: keeping his sanity whilst keeping the Leaguers in line. Also that mind-reading and turning invisible and intangible stuff.
Onto the story! :D
J'onn frowned across his highly polished desk (which rarely had time to become smudged, as J'onn spent most of his time rushing from disaster to in-house disaster, trying to maintain some semblance of order) as he set the manilla folders aside. "I am not at all sure of your choices, Max."
"They'll be fine," the businessman reassured him with a smile that left J'onn with an impression of grease and a fleeting but powerful urge for a bath. "It's a simple surveillance mission, after all."
"Still, Batman knows Gotham best and if he feels--"
"Batman," Max said, smile never wavering, "is overworked. Chronically."
Well, J'onn couldn't deny that.
"Besides," Max continued, leaning back in his chair as he rested his feet on the desk, "Booster may be new to the hero business, but Barda grew up on Apocalypse--"
"Apokolips," J'onn corrected with his innate Martian sense of pronunciation.
"Yes, that. And that's not exactly a good neighborhood, is it now?"
"Indeed, Mister Miracle has described it as more of an 'ever-burning mouth of hell, where men cower like whipped dogs in the ominous shadows'," J'onn deadpanned.
Maxwell Lord threw him a suspicious look, as though he suspected he was being mocked. "Ye-es. Anyway, obviously she can handle herself. And Captain Atom--he's been operating since the 70s, and with that kind of expertise he'll be more than qualified to keep the other two out of trouble." Max beamed in self-congratulations.
J'onn stifled a sigh. He, too, had read the articles, watched the interviews detailing Captain Atom's "secret war against crime" throughout the years. And yet . . . he couldn't help feeling uneasy. "Captain Atom has extremely strong mental blocks," he said without quite knowing why he was offering the information.
Max's feet came off the desk with a thump. "What are you saying? He's purposely blocking--?"
"No, no," the Martian Manhunter said swiftly. "They are natural blocks. Everyone has them. The Captain's are just . . . strong." Somehow it didn't convey the inert power of the towering shields. "Booster's as well."
"Oh, well." Max relaxed. "No offense in the world, J'onn, but you can't expect people to want you poking around in their heads all the time."
"It is not a matter of 'poking around'! I respect their privacy," J'onn said, affronted. "It is just that normally humans unconsciously project a certain amount of subconscious imagery that--"
"What's Barda's about?" Taken aback, J'onn answered without thinking about it. "Fighting, mostly."
"Good, good."
"And . . . cooking."
"Even better! Our little team won't have to live off of take-out, eh?" Max chuckled.
Privately, J'onn was not so sure the heroes would want to live off of mayonnaise lasanga and tuna sorbet.
Still, it was a simple, harmless surveillance assignment.
Maybe, he thought, the heroes could be their own problem for a while instead of his.
