A shorter chapter compared to the previous one, but it get the job done
Enjoy
Chapter Twenty-One
Release
Justice League HQ
Batman walked by himself through the hallway of the League`s space headquarters. He reached the room where Lex Luthor laid, completely unconscious like he was two weeks ago.
The Dark Knight stayed there looking at the person on the bed and if it wasn`t for the rise and fall of his chest as he breath, Batman would have thought that he was a dead body considering how pale he looked.
"So he is still out of it," Green Lantern said as he stepped beside the Batman.
"Yes," he said, "Anything you can find out about what we asked for."
"Yeah," Green Lantern said, "I did what you asked for Bat, but even the Lantern Corps have trouble identifying what it is, but one of them said that it is technology from a destroyed world."
Batman turned toward him.
"What could this mean?"
"It means that it will take a while before the Archives find out exactly what kind of species that once lived there," Lantern told him, "Considering what we have uncovered here on Earth…The Lantern Corps will send some help to fight back whatever it is."
The man sighed.
"Whatever that thing is Batman, we can`t fight it alone."
Batman turned his attention toward Lex Luthor that was in the bed. Then the communicator on his wrist beeped drawing the Dark Knight`s attention. His white eyes narrowed at it for a few seconds before he turned toward Lantern.
"There is a situation I have to take care in Gotham," he said walking away.
"Sure," Lantern said turning his gaze toward the man on the bed before walking off.
Gotham
Batman approached the roof tops and looked down toward the city he had spent most of his nights protecting. He looked around himself for a while before speaking.
"I am here," he said, "Now, where are you?"
Suddenly he heard a soft tap coming from behind him and then the Dark Knight turned around toward it, his hand automatically going for a batarang until he saw the person`s face…
"So it is you," he said.
The person chuckled but suddenly hissed in pain.
"Ouch, I shouldn`t do that."
"You look well," Batman said, "Considering the last time I saw you."
The person leaned against the wall in front of him.
"You don't look surprised to see me."
"I had many clues about your return," Batman answered, "And you are the only person outside of the League that possesses one of our communicators deducing my intentions that you are who you are not some impostors and you know of my code…"
"A great detective as always," the person said shaking their head.
"I am a great detective," Batman said, "But what I don`t understand is why contacting me instead of someone else?"
"I trust you more that`s all," the person answered.
The Dark Knight frowned.
"But that`s not why I am here anyway," the person continued looking down toward the ground.
"Then what?"
"Well Bats," the person said looking up toward him, "The Earth seems to be on the brink of an alien invasion."
"So you know about the life forms then?" Batman asked.
"Kind of hard not to," the person said, "The signals they send out it`s kind of hard to ignore."
"Signals?"
"To communicate with each other," the person said looking toward him, confusion in their voice, "You didn`t figure that one out yet."
Batman looked down frowning.
"So this must be why they needed the Beacon for then," he said, "That must be the other purpose for that thing they were building back at the LUTHORCORP site."
"Did you find out where the others went?"
Batman shook his head.
"It seems that the records where erased," he said, "They must have eyes from within the Company itself."
"That makes it difficult to trace them," the person said coming to a stop beside the Dark Knight, "So what are you going to do next?"
"Luthor is the only one that could tell us what happens to those trucks along with Slade," Batman said.
"Who`s that?"
"He is known as Deathstroke,"
The figure glanced at him, the shock visible in the eyes.
"Deathstroke is alive?"
"Yes," Batman said, "Thought it seems his last encounter with you let him off with some serious injuries, to keep him out of commission for a while. I never expected to run into him again."
The figure sighed.
"I best get back,"
"Why do you want to stay in the shadows?" Batman asked turning his attention toward the figure beside him, "This isn`t like you at all."
"I will draw too much attention;" the figure answered him, "From both the goods and the bad and because of that, our truth enemy will simply have the time to accomplish whatever he is planning."
The dark hair danced in the wind which blew across the roof as Batman`s cape danced behind him.
"And then, we have our own trump card, if all else come to fail," the figure turned toward him, a smile upon the face, "When the times come Bats, the world will know."
Batman stayed silent as he watched.
"Are you trying to convince me…or yourself?" he asked.
The figure stayed silent for a few seconds then laughter started to echoes around them as the Dark Knight frowned even more.
"Leave it to you to overanalyze everything," the person said, approaching the ledge of the building, "But I have to go now…we`ll talk some other times okay…and maybe when the times come."
With that the figure was gone disappearing in the darkness with a gust of wind.
Mount Justice
A few days later…
The team was doing some training when the Zeta Tube turned on drawing their attention. Linda and Nightwing who were sparing stopped as the automated voice spoke out, "Arriving, Batgirl."
Then the light disappeared showing a redhead girl…seating in a wheelchair. The girl had a grin on her face as she glides forward toward her teammates.
"Hey guys," she said, giving them a smile.
"Barbara," Richard said running toward her, "You are out of the hospital?"
"Yeah," the girl said turning her attention toward him.
"You were in the hospital?" Diana said, looking shocked.
Barbara glanced at the girl, taken aback by the concern in her blue eyes.
"Yeah…Richard didn`t tell you?"
"No, he conveniently left that part out," Raven said as she approached.
Barbara turned her eyes toward the cloaked figure.
"You…You`re part of the Titan team right?" she asked.
"Was," Raven answered simply.
"How come you didn't tell us she was at the Hospital?" Diana asked, turning her attention toward Richard.
"Well," the young man said, "I was going to tell you but we had that thing happening with Starfire and it kind of slip from my mind…"
Barbara frowned slightly.
"What happened with Starfire?"
The group exchanged glances but it was Linda who stepped forward.
"She got controlled by a strange life form," she said, "and almost gave away important information about the League to the Enemy…but we have managed to stop her."
"Where is she?"
"She is in her room," Diana told her giving the hallway a glance, "Even thought we told her it`s not her fault, she still blame herself for what had happened."
Barbara looked down.
"Can I go talk to her?"
"Sure i`ll take you there," Diana said giving the girl a grin.
Barbara gave her a small of gratitude. Diana led her straight toward where Starfire room was. Diana reached toward the door and knocked.
"Starfire, are you here?" she asked.
No answer.
Diana turned toward her giving her a shrug.
"Let me try," Barbara told her before tapping the door with her hand.
"Starfire, it`s me, Barbara," she said, "I want to talk if that`s possible."
They was no answer coming from inside the room causing Barbara to sight before raising her hand toward the handle and twisting it, finding it unlocked. The two girls exchanged glances and Barbara entered inside wheeling herself in.
The sunlight was coming from the window showed the entire room which was mostly empty safe for the person that was lying upon the bed. The redhead girl didn`t turn to face the two that entered the room.
"Star…," Barbara started.
"I want to be left alone," Starfire said.
Barbara sighed before glancing toward Diana who was standing beside her.
"Can you leave us alone," she asked.
Diana gave her a searching glance, but in the end, the girl nodded. She stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. Barbara then turned toward the girl on the bed and wheeled herself closer.
"Starfire, I am not leaving until you talk about it," she said.
Starfire turned toward her, and was about to give her an angry retort but she cut herself off when she noticed her.
"W…What happened to you?"
"Got in a little accident a few days back," Barbara told him, "I heard something also happened to you."
Starfire seated upon the bed looking down a little.
"Yeah."
"You do know it wasn`t your fault right?" Barbara told her.
"Even so…If only I paid more attention at the time…I wouldn`t have gotten that thing stuck upon me," Starfire said.
"Starfire, none of us can predict what will happen to us as the times go by," Barbara told her, "I didn't think that I will be stuck to a wheelchair for the next part of my life…and hey, well, it`s still happens to me."
Starfire turned toward her.
"What can I do now, you think?"
"Well for once, get out of this room for once," Barbara told her, with a smile, causing Starfire to chuckle, "well, the next thing is to get up and walk forward. Don`t look at the negatives too much…"
Barbara stopped remembering the negative that her life had shoved into her face…Her father`s death, and Lara Kent`s death…and now, her legs worse for wear after that accident.
"Yes," she said softly, "All that you have to do is to move forward. It`s probably the only thing we can do."
Starfire looked up toward her.
"It is huh," she said softly.
Barbara smiled at her.
"C`mon," she said, "Let`s join the others."
Starfire let out a sigh.
"Alright," she said.
The duo rejoined the rest of the group and Nightwing along with Diana were sparing in the middle of the room. Kid Flash was cheering and Raven along with Linda stood to the side looking at the duo.
Then Nightwing`s attention was drawn toward the two new arrivals and he gut slugged in the face by Diana throwing him backward and unto his back.
"And down he goes," Kid Flash yelled out, "Damn I wish I had a camera seeing you get your ass knocked down by a girl."
"It will be quite a memorable sight," Raven said.
Nightwing shook his head as he stood back up.
"Never thought you`ll be laughing at me."
"Yeah, you`re just a sore loser."
"I thought it was funny," Starfire said, drawing everyone`s attention toward them.
The group approached her.
"Hey Star, are you okay?" Nightwing asked.
"I…I am fine," Starfire answered, "I…I am sorry about what happened with the life form…"
"will you give it a rest already," Kid Flash said putting an arm around the girl`s shoulder, "We already told you that we forgave you."
However, Starfire had her eyes upon Nightwing who stood with Diana beside him. The young man simply gave her welcoming smile.
"Glad to have you back Star," he said.
She smiled back. Barbara from where she sat had noticed the exchange and simply shook her head.
Why don`t they just kiss and make up really, she thought.
Then the attention was drawn when Beast Boy stepped inside the room.
"What is it?" Raven asked.
He looked up toward the group.
"Cyborg is awake."
So ends this chapter...
Next Time: Cyborg
Jacques0 out.
R&R.