The Fall of Integrity
Batman sat in the Batcave and watched the news. Lex Luther was dead. Since his steady rise to power and return to the seat of President Luther and was extremely popular. So popular that he pushed a new amendment to the Constitution that a President was not limited to two terms but as many as the public allowed. Now he was dead. Killed by Batman's former ally Superman. What had brought this one though? Batman knew, and he knew it to well.
Six months before Luther pushed a bill through Congress that deemed it illegal to be a superpowered hero if you were not approved by the President himself. Superman of course was one of those not chosen. Since that time the world, and Metropolis itself, had fallen on harder times.
Several other heroes had been banned from there duties as well. Wonder Woman had been stripped of her duties. The Flash was ordered never to use his powers again. The Titans were cut down to a mere four members. Batman had been able to slide by due to him not having any powers. As had Question and Oliver Queen and several other heroes. Still time had taken its toll. Metropolis's crime rate made Gotham look like a safe place to live.
Now it had happened. Several heroes had snapped and Luther had been assassinated by Superman himself. Now the world stood in fear as a God had risen to power. The Justice League, the ones who were not allowed to be heroes, had helped and now the world sat in fear. Batman was one of them in fear.
"Bruce," an oh so familiar voice said behind him, "I know what you're thinking. That I have gone to far and that you are going to get out your kryptonite ring and use it on me yourself."
"Funny Clark," Batman said without turning around, "I didn't know that mind reading was one of your powers. Nor did I know that you, Barry, or Diana killed."
"Bruce we had no other choice," came the smug voice from behind him, "We did it to make the world a better place."
Batman turned around in his chair and stared down his former friend and companion. It was a staring contest and Batman knew he could not blink. I would mean loosing the edge. He never lost the edge. Not any other time and not this time. Superman blinked.
"I was working to push it through Clark," Batman said calmly, "The law would have changed after the next election. All you needed to do was be patient and wait a year. Let the others do your job while you had to wait. The world has gone without Superman before. It could do it again."
"Bruce, I'll take the ring," Superman calmly said, "I don't want this to get violent. I don't want it to end badly between us. I don't want to—"
"Kill me?" The Dark Knight interrupted, "That is what you were going to say Clark, isn't it? You don't want to have to kill me. You've stepped over the line you idiot. I know it's not a blank threat. Your or Barry or Wally or Diana would do it now along with you other 'heroes.' Well Clark you're right I will hand you the ring over, but your not going to like how I do it."
Without hesitation Batman delivers a massive blow to face of The Man of Steel knocking him for a loop. Clinched in his hand was the ring. He then dropped three kryptonite napalm baterangs behind him and took off running. He jumped into the Batmobile and took off.
Superman pulled himself up. He gasped for air as the Kryptonite entered his longs. He finally moved away and looked for Batman.
"Bruce!" he shouted, "I am going to find you! You know it! When I do, you're going to die! I promise you that!"
"Shut up you twit," came Batman's voice from the computer, "In the shape your in I recommend that you get out of here before the mansion and the cave explode. I've set a time you have about fifteen seconds at this point, and unlike you I don't give someone a chance before they could die."
Batman put down the microphone in his car and waited. Ten seconds left and Clark had just managed to get out. Unlike his old colleague still valued life and he did not plan on taking any.
He picked up the phone and dialed a number.
"Roy," Bruce said into the receiver, "This is Bruce. I'm going to need your help."
Roy Harper, Arsenal, sat on the other line in the headquarters of The Outsiders. The group that despite the rulings all of there members had chosen to defy the law and remain active. Now things had quickly gone south and Batman needed help.
"Yeah," Arsenal replied, "I can see why. The Breaking news keeps on breaking with your mansion blowing up. Nightwing called and said to put you up."
"I'm going to need more than that," Batman replied, "Things have gone to far and the world is about to need real heroes. I'll be in New York in an hour. I've got to call Ollie, the time has come."