DISCLAIMERS/NOTES

1. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun.

2. As always, I'll point out this was written over a decade ago. Here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air, so Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy. And the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of Unlimited wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, The Savage Time. All my Wayback Wednesday stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck.

3. Again, sorry about my depiction of Diana. I really treat her like a teenager. Ugh.

PART 2

Superman walked into the lounge, and saw Green Lantern and J'onn J'onzz watching TV. He went up to the sofa they were sitting in. "Hey fellas, how's things?"

"Slow," Lantern said.

"Things have been quiet on Earth," added J'onn. He stuffed a handful of Oreos into his mouth.

"I know," said Superman. "That's why I thought I'd just fly by, see how things are. Anything happening?"

"Not really," Lantern said, not moving his gaze from the World War II movie on the TV. "Flash is all excited about meeting his girlfriend's parents."

Superman smiled. "So things won't stay quiet for long?" He walked from behind the sofa to an easy chair. He sat down, and noticed J'onn looking at him.

"Is something wrong?" the Martian asked. "I sense some… discomfort in you."

Superman sighed. He wanted to tell them, but he could not. The only person he could feasibly tell would be Bruce… and he would hardly care. "No, it's nothing," he answered.

J'onn frowned. "Are you sure?"

Superman stood up. "Yes, thank you. If you'll excuse me…" He then walked away, out of the room. He could feel J'onn's eyes staring back at him.

Once in the corridor, Superman held the back of his neck. Amazing how uncomfortable he WAS feeling, considering he was the Man of Steel. But the last few days had been hard. He had done something he knew was long overdue, but the immediate reaction was just as he had imagined it would be.

Still, he knew it was for the best. The next few days, weeks, months even, would be hard, but in the end, he felt better having done what he did. It would all sort itself out in the end.

He saw Hawkgirl walk towards him, and held out his hand. "Hi," he said. "I didn't know you were here."

Hawkgirl smiled. "Yeah, things are quiet… at least, on Earth."

Superman raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Flash is zooming around, bragging about how wonderful his relationship is. He's meeting Linda's parents soon."

"Lantern said," said Superman. "I hope things go well. How are you and Lantern?"

Hawkgirl rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't mention that man to me. I'm irate at him right now."

Superman frowned. "Why?"

"He broke my mace," Hawkgirl growled.

"How?"

Hawkgirl blinked, and appeared a bit embarrassed. "You… don't want to know."

Superman looked at her. "Okaaaaaay… is Diana here?"

"Yeah, Ms. Happy is in the kitchen," said Hawkgirl. "She's still all google-eyed and on a Bat high."

"That's nice."

"Yeah, but does she have to shove it down our throats?" Hawkgirl said. "I mean, I'm happy and all, but… it's pretty weird, isn't it?"

Superman folded his arms. "What do you mean?"

Hawkgirl held out her hands. "It's, you know, BATMAN. Don't you think that's pretty strange?"

Superman smiled. "You should see him try and cook. His food is scarier than him."

Hawkgirl giggled. "Ah, I'm just angry is all. Everything's going all hunky-dory with those two, and my boyfriend short-circuits my mace's electricity mechanism."

"How did he do that?"

Hawkgirl pointed a finger at him. "You DON'T want to know. TRUST me."

Superman rolled his eyes. "OK, I won't. I'm just going to get something to eat, then I'm off. I'll see you later."

"Yeah, bye," Hawkgirl said, and walked off. As she disappeared round the corner, Superman could hear her muttering about fixing her mace…

He smiled. He loved being part of two families.

He only hoped he had not ruined one of them.

/

Hawkgirl stormed into the kitchen. Diana was still sitting there, on her fifth milkshake. "Right, come on," the Thanagarian ordered.

Diana looked up. "What?"

"You're coming with me," Hawkgirl said. She pointed at Diana, then pointed her thumb behind her. "We're going out."

Diana blinked. "Out? Where?"

"Wherever the wind takes us," said Hawkgirl. "Now come on. Kara's waiting for us."

"Kara?" Diana then realised who that was. "Ah. Supergirl. But… why are we going out?"

Hawkgirl folded her arms. "Because all you ever do these days is sit around in this place, train, then go home to the Bat. You used to explore the world sometimes… but I guess the Bat is your entire world now."

"That's not true…" Diana began.

"Then come out with us," Hawkgirl pressed.

"I can't," said Diana. "Batman will be here soon…"

Hawkgirl rolled her eyes. "Exactly. Listen, sister… is Batman the boss of you?"

Diana looked worried. "No…"

"Who IS the boss of you?"

Diana looked at Hawkgirl. "You?"

Hawkgirl smacked her forehead. "Give me strength… no, YOU are the boss of you. Now you prove it by coming with us and having a ladies day out!"

"But Batman…"

"Can wait until you get back!" Hawkgirl shouted. "Now get off that hiney of yours and join us!"

Diana was about to speak, when Green Lantern walked into the kitchen. He was holding Hawkgirl's mace. There were burn marks on the handle. "Shy, listen, I know you told me to fix this, but…"

Hawkgirl turned to face him. "And you WILL."

"But… I'm a soldier, not an electrician…"

"Listen, buster!" Hawkgirl yelled, pointing a finger in Lantern's face. "Until you have that fixed, you won't get to pet your hawk again! Do I make myself clear?"

Lantern looked at her, wide-eyed. Before he could answer, Hawkgirl pushed past him. "Now come on Diana," she said, "We have a town to hit!" She then strode down the corridor.

Diana looked embarrassed. "Er… excuse me…" she said, and followed in Hawkgirl's direction, walking past Lantern.

Lantern groaned. He looked at the scorched mace.

Maybe Rex knew how to fix it…

/

The air was cold, but the person prowling along the roof of the complex did not notice. He looked around, keeping an eye out for security guards.

He had received a call from an anonymous person, requiring his services. He had been sceptical, but he was desperate for the work. He had only recently escaped from jail, and had laid low for several months. So he was intrigued when the person called him.

A security guard roamed the west side of the complex. He was a moderately-built middle-aged man. No problem.

The person slinked along the side of the wall…

Then, when the guard's back was turned, he took his chance…

Copperhead leapt onto the guard, taking him down with his entire body weight. He then stood up, as the guard lay there, out cold.

Copperhead walked over to a steel door, and rammed his claws into it. He then tore through the lock, and removed his hand.

He opened the door, and walked into the pitch-black room.

"Jeez, where are the lights?" Copperhead said. "I can't see myself think here…"

"That's hardly a loss," a voice said from the darkness.

Copperhead whipped around, though as the room was still in darkness, he did not know where to face. Also, the echo-y room disguised the location that the voice came from.

"Who are you?" Copperhead demanded. "Show yourself!"

Suddenly, the room's lights blinked on, and Copperhead put his hand to his eyes at the sudden illumination. After his eyes had adjusted to the light, he looked around the room.

It was a huge steelworks factory, with machines used for construction all over the place. Copperhead looked ahead of him, and a figure in a long, green cloak, and a hood, stood a few yards away.

"I assume you're the one who called me," said Copperhead.

"Your intellect astounds me," the figure said dryly.

Copperhead could not see who the figure was, but he had a male voice. "So what can I do for you, and how much are you offering?"

The figure walked over to a nearby table. Copperhead noticed there was a briefcase on it. "I want you…" the figure said, "To kill a member of the Justice League."

Copperhead raised an eyebrow. "Just like that, eh?"

The figure raised his arm slowly. "Come. I have something to show you."

Copperhead considered refusing, but what did he have to lose? He would do anything if there was money involved. He non-chalantly walked upto the table the mysterious figure was standing by. "And what would that be?" Copperhead asked.

"I understand you have quite a potent venom in your fangs," the person said.

"Yeah…" said Copperhead. "But even I'll admit it's not powerful enough on those do-gooders. Only Batman is a proven case."

"What if I told you," the figure said, "that I could enhance your venom. Make it powerful enough to kill even Superman?"

Copperhead held his chin. "Sounds intriguing…"

The figure unlocked the briefcase, and opened it up. Copperhead looked inside, and saw a needle and a bottle of liquid. "This will increase your venom a thousandfold," the person said. "Interested?"

Copperhead thought for a moment. "As cool as that would be, I'd have to see some green as well. Plus, what's in it for you?"

"I want to see the Justice League destroyed," the person said. "And as for money…" He opened a secret compartment in the briefcase, and displayed piles of notes to Copperhead. "Ten million," the figure said. "And that's just upfront. Complete the task, and you'll get a lot more."

Copperhead nodded his head. "You strike a good deal. I'll do it."

The figure looked at him. "Good. Shall we begin?"

Copperhead smiled. He was about to get his teeth stuck into his work in a whole new way…

TO BE CONTINUED