"You can't do that McGinnis."
"Why not? I know Ra's is our bad guy, but even you have to admit that he's expecting us, meaning he'll be ready."
"I know, but the League is compromised. This statement was just released." The former Dark Knight said, switching the computer's television on.
"It pains me to say this, but Batman is no longer affiliated with the Justice League. Regardless of his reasons, his actions have been nothing short of criminal. As such, the Justice League will either bring him in or bring him down." Superman said as he and the other members of the League walked off the stage in front of their Metropolis headquarters.
"Damn it. How long do you think we have until they show up?"
"Half an hour, if we're lucky. Kent knows I've seen this, and he'll want to make sure I can't or won't stop him from taking you." Bruce replied, hearing his phone ring just as he finished his statement.
"Speak of the devil." He said, answering the phone.
"Kent, I know what you're going to say, and I will lay flower's on the Joker's grave before I will hand him over to you."
"Bruce, I respect your protege more than anyone, and you're my best friend, but he has to answer for his crimes."
"That wasn't him, it was Jason."
"Jason Todd is dead. I saw his body, we both did."
"Apparently so did Ra's."
For a moment there was silence, and then the aging Man of Steel spoke.
"Let's say for argument's sake that you're right. Let me bring Terry in. I can hold him at the Watchtower, and the League can deal with Ra's and Jason. Then your secret is safe, and the public isn't hunting him."
"Not an option. Ra's is Batman's problem, and since when did you give a damn about the public? I seem to recall Cadmus didn't get that consideration."
"You know we turned ourselves in."
"After you made your point."
"Give him up Bruce or the entire weight of the Justice League will come down on you. Your secret, Barbra's, Dick's... you'll all be exposed and Terry will still be arrested."
"You do what you have to and-"
"Stay by the line Superman, I'll call back in two minutes. I need to call my mother, tell her I won't be home tonight." Terry said, cutting the connection before Superman could respond.
"McGinnis what the hell was that about?" Bruce asked, more angry than Terry had ever seen him.
"I'm turning myself in, it's the only way to-"
"You can't be serious Terry!" His mother said, and he just glared for a second before he spoke.
"Let me finish. It's the only way to get inside the Watchtower. Unless you think it's a good idea to fight the Justice League in Gotham?" He asked, glaring at Bruce as he did so.
"No, but what's the plan?"
"I turn myself in, and I get Mera to be my chaperone."
"Mera?" Five voices asked, and Terry just chuckled.
"She's a friend. My point is she'll let me go, and then we can get to the transporter and it's as simple as saying beam me up Scotty. You get up there, we deal with the League and then it's open season on Ra's."
"What makes you so sure your friend will let you go?" Helena challenged, and he laughed before pulling out a phone.
"Did you get all that Mera?"
"I did. I'll have the coordinates plugged into the transporter by the time you're done with Superman."
"Thanks, I owe you one."
"No you don't. Just find Ra's, and bring him down." She replied before canceling the phone call."
"When were you going to tell me you revealed your identity to the League?"
"Not the League, just Mera, and I wasn't going to. The last thing I need is to deal with your paranoia. Besides, you had someone in the League you trusted, and so do I."
"My paranoia is what kept me alive, and-"
"And I can't trust Kent. I haven't since the Starro incident, and... after Melanie I needed someone I could talk to, someone who understood. As good a friend as you are Max..."
"There's a difference between the guy sitting behind the desk and someone who's been on the battlefield, I get it."
"We'll deal with your mistake later. Right now I just hope it dosen't bite you in the ass. Now get to work."
Terry ignored his predecessor's anger and put on his mask, placing his hand to his ear.
"Batman to Watchtower, requesting immediate transport."
Five seconds later Terry found himself standing on the Watchtower, with the entire Justice League covering him. Each of them had their weapons out, and looked more than willing to use them.
"I'm glad you saw sense and turned yourself in Batman." Superman said, making Terry glare at the Man of Steel.
"I didn't see sense Superman, I just didn't want my city to be destroyed because I had to waste time kicking your ass."
Before Superman could respond Batman's hand shot out, grabbing Warhawk's wrist, and twisting it hard, nearly breaking it.
"Don't even think about it."
"You don't deserve to wear that mask."
The Dark Knight of Neo-Gotham glared at the other man, his eyes narrowing to barely visible white slits.
"That's not your decision to make. Try that again, and you'll find your wings clipped. That goes for the rest of you. I'll keep my word, but the mask stays." He said, releasing Warhawk's wrist before following Superman and the others down to the cell block where the League kept prisoners waiting to go into police custody. He walked into the cell, and Superman held out his hand.
"The belt." He said, and Batman complied without a word.
"I'll stand guard." Mera said, the other's looking at Aquagirl in question. Or at least Superman, and the Lantern did; Barda and Warhawk just looked suspicious, probably thinking the two of them had some secret romance going on.
"If anyone else stands guard, somebody will get hurt." She said, and Superman nodded in response, knowing that she was right at least in Warhawk's or Barda's case. Neither of them had been happy when Superman brought the young Dark Knight into the League and that opinion hadn't changed. Besides, the League still had to make sure that the Earth was safe, so he ordered the others out, leaving Mera and the young Dark Knight alone.
"So you've been busy." Mera said without preamble, and Terry just grinned and nodded. The two made small talk for the next twenty minutes before Mera saw the red light of the security camera go out. She quickly opened the cell door, and the two sprinted down the hall, only to find Superman waiting for them.
"I thought I could trust you to keep your word Batman."
"And I thought you stood by your friends Kal." Diana said, and Terry smirked as Diana, Helena, Zatanna, Kara and Dinah came out of the transporter room. True to her word Mera had had the transporter set up. What no one else knew was that she had set the transporter to go off two minutes after Batman was released from his cell.
"Diana? What the hell is-"
The Man of Steel's words were cut off as a bullet hit him square in the chest, knocking him to the floor. Before any of the heroes could react they found themselves on the floor, all of them unconscious. The greatest team of heroes known to man had been taken down in under ninety seconds, and no one had even seen who did it.
Terry woke up what felt like hours later, but was actually only a few moments.
"Bruce, are you there?"
"I'm here."
Terry looked around finding the room empty, and his belt on the floor next to him. Checking to make sure it hadn't been tampered with, he placed it back on his waist before addresing his predessesor.
"Any idea what hit me? The last thing I remember is Superman getting shot."
"It was Zoom. Savage and Ra's must have found some way to get him here. He hijacked a transporter, threw a kryptonie bullet at superspeed an... too...ou-"
"Bruce? Bruce can you hear me?!"
"Do not worry about the Detective boy."
"Ra's. How did you get this frequencey?"
"Do not worry about that. For now you should worry about the consequences of your decisions."
"What are you talking about? Where are my friends?"
"Go to the monitor room and find out."
Terry ran down to the monitor room, freezing in his tracks at the sight that greeted him. On the monitor's screen was Dinah, Kara, Helena, Diana, Zatanna, Kara and Mera, all of them bound, blindfolded, gagged and unable to move, but obviously not on the Watchtower based on the cave wall behind them. However, Batman wasn't focused on that now. What he was focused on was the kryptonite knife in Jason Todd's hand, a knife that was currently at Kara's throat.
"This is what happens when you pretend to be Batman."
Without another word he slit the Last Daughter of Krypton's throat, Terry forced to watch helplessly as Kara fell to the ground dead. Jason quickly did the same to the others, and Terry felt his knees almost give out as he saw his girls, and Mera lying lifeless on the floor.
"Now you understand true suffering. Come and face me, and I will grant you a quick death. Hide, and I will kill all you hold dear. You have one hour."
With that the screen faded to black, leaving only a GPS location.
"Terry, can you hear me?"
"Bruce...what have I done?"
"Listen to me, this is not your fault. Now the car will be there in two minutes, and I've already loaded the coordinates into the GPS."
"I don't know if-"
"Pull yourself together McGinnis! We both know Dinah and Helena would kick your ass, and I shudder to think Diana, and Zi would do, not to mention Kara and Mera." He told him, and Terry nodded. Bruce didn't show emotion often but in that moment Terry was reminded that he had loved each of those girls in his own way. He knew Bruce was right, and so walked towards the javelin bay where he knew the car would come in. However, unknown to Bruce he made a silent promise. Batman would never kill, but Terry McGinnis was a different matter altogether. Yes when he found Jason, Terry was going to kill him.
A/N: I know it's been a while but I have had major writer's block on this story! Please read and review as your review's help me keep writing!