Disclaimer: JLU, owned by DC and Warner Brothers. Aberrant, owned by Onyx Path/White Wolf. Incredibles, owned by Disney/Pixar. Major Tom originally written by Peter Schilling and covered...by a hell of a lot of different artists.
Author's note: Okay, another chapter posted while working overtime and half drowsy when getting home. As usual, this hasn't been beta'd (though I would love to have a beta reader for this), so if there are errors, I'll try to catch and correct them when a re-read what I post. Honestly, this was supposed to be the second half of the previous chapter, but I ended up doing something else with it. And no, I did NOT bash Batman in this (that's Bomber and Slapstick's job...though I'm sure the Gotham PD won't be able to get rid of the mental image brought on by Slapstick doing a vocal impression of the Joker and screeching "DO ME LIKE A ROBIN!" anytime soon.
As you know, I'm not a big fan of two characters in particular, but I tried not to be too hard on them. But John Stewart always seemed like a pompous asshole half the time and Shayera came across as an arrogant bitch the other half (though I will admit she did ease up later on).
CADMUS Headquarters
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Captain Atom was dying and he knew it. Though he was pure living quantum energy, he could feel his life fading away as his energy seeped through the multiple mini-fractures in his containment suit. He was so far gone he hardly felt pain as he was blasted up to the surface of the CADMUS facility before landing in a heap in front of the main building.
He heard the roar of thrusters and felt the thump of something heavy landing nearby. He looked up and saw the Monarch armor standing there looking at him. Though it was damaged, it was still functioning and the young man piloting was very much willing to finish this.
"I want you to understand, Captain, that I gave you a chance to walk away," David Flynn said, his voice echoing slightly through the Monarch's speakers. "Just like I gave the Wild Cards a chance to walk away. Though I'll be honest, I was glad they didn't; because I didn't feel like letting a bunch of psychos and a child molester loose." The Monarch took a couple steps forward, raising one of its arms, the gauntlet mounted on it now glowing red as it powered up. "But I was hoping you were smart enough to see reason and walk away. But no...you just had to be a good little soldier, didn't you? Now you get to die like one, I hope you're happy."
Just as David was about to fire, there was a flash of light and he found himself surrounded by several people. He groaned as he identified the newcomers. "Aw, c'mon, really? Now you fucking heroes show up?" He lowered his gauntlet, but kicked Captain Atom in the chest before stepping away, causing the man to cry out in pain. "You stay put, Captain, I'll deal with you shortly."
"Whoever you are, you need to stand down," Superman ordered. He attempted to use his x-ray vision on the armor to look for any weak spots, but was surprised to discover that he couldn't see past the hazy field that seemed to bathe the armor in a faint blue glow.
"Ah, Superman, the boy scout from another planet. You know, now that I've actually met the real you, you're even more lame than the versions I've seen." Inside the armor, David couldn't help smiling as he spoke. "So, let me guess, you just tried to x-ray me, didn't you?" He then looked at the others. "And look, you even brought Flash, Wonder Woman, Batman, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern and...oh, for crying out loud! Tell your Martian friend to stop trying to sneak up on me or I will barbecue him the moment he comes up through the fucking ground behind me!"
Superman's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he shook his head slightly to signal J'onn to back off. The Martian complied and instead came up through the ground to put himself between Captain Atom and the Monarch armor. "J'onn, what do we have?"
"I can't get a telepathic read on him, Superman," J'onn said as he knelt down to check on Captain Atom. "The Captain's energy is low. It's almost as if he's being drained."
"Drained, then filled back up to above capacity, then drained again," David snickered. "Then there was the added bonus of me kicking is ass up and down the installation. He should have stayed out of the way, but no, he had to try to protect Waller and her people from me. Then again, he's just a stupid soldier following orders. Waller and Eiling bark at him, and he does what he's told."
"You attacked one of our own?" Shayera growled, bringing up her mace.
"One of your own? That's a fucking laugh. Haven't you been listening? He's been working for CADMUS ever since Eiling reactivated his commission in the Air Force." Then David let out a soft cruel chuckle. "But you of all people get that, don't you, Shayera Hol? It's pretty easy to 'follow orders' and betray the ones who called you friend, isn't it?"
Shayera was about to charge at David, but Batman stepped in her way. "Don't do it," he said, shaking his head. "It's what he wants."
"He's just one man in a fancy suit of armor, he's nothing!"
Batman ignored Shayera's outburst and looked directly at David. "I was not aware that CADMUS was able to get the MONARCH armor operational."
"They didn't, Batman, that was me." David didn't bother hiding the venom in his voice as he spoke. "Now I'm going to bury them with it."
"Who are you?" Batman asked as more reinforcements beamed down from the station to flank the Monarch armor.
"Let's just say I'm just some guy from out of town and I want to go home," David replied before looking over his shoulder at the other new arrivals. He caught sight of a familiar looking blond haired girl and was about to attack, but stopped himself. "Oh, wait, you're the original." Then he saw a familiar pink haired young woman wearing jeans, a leather jacket and goggles. His anger gave way to surprise. "Wait...Zoe? Is that really you?"
The pink haired speedster gave him a startled look. "You know me?" she asked.
"I should hope so," David said as the helmet retracted to reveal his face.
"David?"
"Flynn?" This came from Jay who had moved to stand next to Zoe. "What the hell happened to you?" he asked noticing the faint bruising on David's face.
"Had a really bad week," David replied, wondering why his guy seemed familiar to him. "Do I know you?"
"Kind of...but I was a little younger when we met. It's me...Jack...Jack Parr?"
"Whoa, what the hell? How did you end up here? And how long have you been here, exactly?"
"It's a long story," Jay replied. "Would you mind telling me why you're beating the shit out of Captain Atom?"
David couldn't help smiling. "It's a long story," he said echoing Jay's words. Then his smile faded as he turned to look back at Superman. "If I stand down, what happens?"
"We'll take you into custody," J'onn said, cutting off Superman before he could reply. He then looked back to Superman. "It's the best course of action, Superman."
"No!" Everyone turned to see Amanda Waller limping towards them from out of the main building flanked by Deadshot and half a dozen heavily armed soldiers wearing body armor. "That man is a terrorist and this is CADMUS jurisdiction." She then pointed at Zoe. "And I strongly advise you to turn her over as well."
"Um, how about no?" Zoe fired back. "If David is fighting her and her military goons, I'm guessing she's not one of the good guys."
"We are the United States Government," Waller snarled.
"And I rest my case," Zoe smirked.
Amanda ignored her and looked straight at the Man of Steel. "Superman, if you don't turn over Flynn and the girl, I will have no choice but to advise the President that you are a rogue element and are no longer authorized to operate on American soil."
Superman appeared to hesitate and David couldn't help chuckling at the situation. "Oh, this is fucking priceless. I got the clueless spandex set and the psychotic government bitch fighting over me. I wonder who's going to blink first?" He focused his gaze on Superman and didn't bother to hide his disgust. "I'm thinking you'll be the one to cave. After all, your little club cares more about looking heroic than actually having the balls to do what they believe is right." He then gestured at the crumpled form of Captain Atom. "And that makes you even worse than that piece of trash...at least he has a backbone to fight for what he thinks he believes in."
"David, they can help us," Zoe said, surprised at the harsh words coming from her boyfriend. This was a side she rarely saw and she couldn't help shivering slightly in fear as she realized that the tone he was using against Superman was the same kind of tone he used for Utopia and its leaders.
"I'm sure they can, Zoe, but I doubt they will," he said. "After all, they're 'heroes' and they have no choice but to 'obey the laws'." He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb in Waller's direction. "It's why this bitch and her club can get away with playing God and not get nailed for it."
David turned back to reface Waller. "But I'll make this simple for you, Amanda. You let me go with them and you get your chance to run, hide, and maybe even you'll be dumb enough to have the clone try to protect you when I come for you again. If we go the other way, I will finish you, but not before I authorize multiple drone strikes to attack certain targets...one of them being a certain Hilliard Hall at a certain university in Philadelphia. Does the number 321 mean ANYTHING to you?"
To the shock of the Justice League, Amanda Waller's face paled for a moment. "You son of a bitch," she growled. "Do it and-"
"And what, Amanda? You attacked my home, had people I considered family killed, threatened to let Galatea out to demolish the rest of the city, and were willing to use a Kryptonian laced warhead on my town when this operation was concluded. And then there's what you did to Ace...that act alone signed your death warrant as far as I'm concerned. You played your hand, bitch, and now it's my turn."
Then David returned his attention to Superman. "It's your call, Superman. Take me into custody or risk a bloodbath that you and your club will be at ground zero for."
"Tough talk for a punk." Green Lantern snapped.
"Feel free to test me, Stewart. You can't use that ring if your hands aren't attached, remember that."
Lantern looked like he was about to attack, but a glare from Superman stopped him in his tracks. He also heard a slight giggle and glared at Zoe who wasn't even bothering to hide her amusement.
"And what guarantee do we have that you'll come along quietly?" Superman asked, ignoring the glaring contest between Green Lantern and the pink haired speedster.
Instead of answering, David closed his eyes for a moment and the Monarch armor started to open up, part of it retracting into itself which allowed David to step out of it. Once he was out of the armor, it reformed and closed back up, the ZP Gauntlets on the armor's forearms dimming to a faint blue glow. He then put his arms out in front of him as if offering to be handcuffed.
"That good enough for you?"
The Watchtower
Conference Room
"I take it the President isn't happy with us?" John Stewart asked the other members seated around the conference table.
"He said that Waller made several valid points, but he was more than willing to give us the benefit of a doubt," J'onn replied. "I also think he agreed with our decision because this David Flynn managed to savage their headquarters from within. They've been forced to evacuate the facility and relocate, which means they don't currently have the resources available to detain him."
"That's good," Flash said as he gestured at the video footage of the Arkham situation being projected by the holo-projectors over the table. "But what about the Arkham situation?"
"CADMUS has declared jurisdiction there as well," Batman replied. It was hard to miss the obvious irritation in his voice as he spoke. "I'm willing to let them handle it for now, but that will change when the escaped inmates enter my city."
"If there are any inmates left," Wonder Woman said. "The way these two are tearing through the inmates, I don't think there will be very many survivors in your rogues gallery, Bruce."
Batman didn't bother hiding his annoyance. "The FCC has been trying to shut down the public access channels they are using to broadcast, but someone is managing to bypass them." He didn't mention that he also had Oracle attempting to hack their signal, but he suspected that she was only doing a halfhearted job since the two "guests" at Arkham were making life hell for the Joker.
Sadly, he really couldn't blame the young woman, but he hoped she could push aside her personal feelings and focus on the objective. He then had the holo-projector shift from the Arkham feed to display a new image, the Monarch armor that was currently being kept in secured lab.
"My concern is the fact that Waller and her people were able to get this monstrosity working," he said.
"Yeah, about that, what is it exactly?" Stewart asked, curiosity replacing the scowl that had become a normal expression for him ever since they brought Zoe Kilmarten on board almost a week ago.
"And why were you so reluctant to face off against it?" Shayera added. "If I didn't know any better, I would almost say you may have showed a little fear."
"Call it what you want, but that THING is not just 'a fancy set of armor'," Batman said. "As for what it is, it's actual designation is Mobile Nano Reactive Combat Hardsuit, otherwise known as the Monarch. To put it bluntly, it was designed to kill us. Originally based off one of Luthor's old battle-suits, it incorporates technology they developed or managed to reverse engineer from all the alien technology they salvaged or confiscated in the last few years."
As he spoke, various part of the three dimensional projection lit up and tiny text windows opened to display data regarding the technology identified.
"It would appear, using what they salvaged of Doctor Ivo's work and Apokolips technology, they were able to create a crude form of nano-technology that emulated the Dark Heart organism and even some of the shape-shifting properties of the Imperium. I think they were trying to create something similar to the Annihilator to use as powered armor."
Diana couldn't suppress the slight shudder at that thought and noticed the shocked looks on the faces of the others. Even Batman's expression became more grim than usual. "But something like that would acquire a lot of power," she said. "And not even Luthor has technology capable of that...at least not yet."
"Until now," Batman said as the image zoomed in on the gauntlets on the armor. "This technology is new and not consistent with what CADMUS had been developing. After our brief discussion with our newest guest, I'm going to say that he's responsible for their latest advancement and that it wasn't willing."
The holographic image shifted again to display their latest guess lying on his bed in a detention cell, singing softly to himself. "Earth below us...drifting...falling...floating weightless….calling home..."
"That song, what is it?" Superman asked.
"Unknown," J'onn J'onzz replied. "I suspect it's a song from his Earth."
"And who exactly is this punk?"
J'onn shook his head at Green Lantern's question. "That 'punk' is capable of blocking my attempts to telepathically scan his mind. As for who he is," he paused as more data windows popped up, "David Pine Flynn, age 19. Known abilities, super-intelligence, enhanced strength and reflexes that put him somewhere around three to five times that of a human in peak condition. From what little intel Batman was able to get from CADMUS, he managed to escape twice from his captors and killed quite a few people, including members of the former Royal Flush gang."
"Perhaps Waller was right," Shayera mused, "maybe he is a terrorist."
Flash shot her a look. "Zoe doesn't seem to think so."
"Of course she wouldn't," Stewart sneered. "She works for him and he is her boyfriend."
Flash finally had enough of this. "Okay, that's it! John, what the hell is your problem? You know how dangerous CADMUS is and you know they aren't exactly truthful with us. For crying out loud, they tried to nuke an ENTIRE island we were trying to evacuate the civilians off of just to take out Doomsday AND Superman. They didn't give a damn about anyone else there or how much damage their Kryptonite laced warhead would have done had it hit their target."
"Wally-" Shayera started to say in an attempt to calm the Flash down, but he cut her off.
"And you," Flash continued as he pointed at her. "You of all people shouldn't be jumping to conclusions. I'll be honest with you, Shayera. When your people attacked and you initially sided with them, I felt betrayed because you were one of my best friends. But I was willing to give you the benefit of a doubt because I knew you had been duped by your own people and helped us when you realized that your people were willing to kill billions of innocents just to get a strategic military advantage. So forgive me if I don't understand why you automatically want to brand this guy, Zoe, and Jay as hostile enemies."
"Maybe I'd be inclined to think differently if they didn't dismiss us as jokes and actually gave us some respect."
"Is that what this is about, John?" Flash asked. "You got your panties in a knot because they come from a world where we're fictional characters? Don't you think that's kind of hypocritical given what we went through with the Justice Guild's world awhile back? And yeah, I know what you're going to say...you're going to argue that we're real and that this is different, just like last time. And maybe you're right. But it doesn't change the fact that we ARE fictional characters in their world and some of us haven't given them good reason to think otherwise."
Diana had remained mostly silent during the meeting, but finally decided to speak up. "You also have to consider the possibility that they come from a world that might be a darker place than own."
"I'm not sure I'd go that far, Diana," said Superman. "Our world is quite messed up."
"Yes, but we're here to at least try to keep it stable and going. Something tells me their world is a far more cynical and darker one. You all heard what Zoe told us about her world."
"And again, I'm not sure if we can fully take that as the truth, even if J'onn said she was being truthful," Stewart grumbled. "At best, she is a biased witness."
"Well there is another option," Batman said, drawing everyone's attention to him as he pointed at the holographic image of their prisoner. "We could just talk to him."
Watchtower Detention Center
David started to slowly pace around in his cell, figuring it might alleviate the boredom the poor souls monitoring him on the video feed were probably feeling after seeing him just lie on the bed and sing to himself. His face broke out in a grin as he looked directly at one of the cameras. "Hey, would it make for interesting viewing if I decided to jack off in front of the camera?"
"Please don't," said a female voice that he recognized, tensing slightly into a defensive posture as he turned around but relaxed as he saw the young blond haired woman wearing a familiar S on her costume.
"Damn," he said, resuming a more relaxed posture. "It's scary how much you look like that bitch, and yet...not...at the same time." Then he shook his head. "Sorry, Supergirl, let's just say your evil twin with the extra large assets left a lasting impression and it wasn't a good one."
"I kind of picked up on that when you looked like you were about to attack and then stopped and said that I was the 'original'," Kara said, giving him a tiny smirk.
"Well, at the risk of sounding sexist, I just want to say the original is better than the sequel."
Kara shook her head. "Damn, you are a piece of work, you know that?"
"So I've been told more than a few times in my life," David shot back. "So, quick question, Supergirl...or should I call you Kara?"
Kara shrugged. "Whatever works for you, I'm not picky."
"You know, the versions I'm familiar with don't do you justice. Half the time, you're an obnoxious emo girl angry at the world and some air-headed clueless blond the other half whining about living in the shadow of her cousin. So which version is the most accurate?"
"Obnoxious...sometimes, clueless...depends on the situation. If I'm trying to figure out the legalese of a charter agreement that says which country we can and can't go to because of some obscure UN regulation...then yeah, I'm clueless. But I'm not so clueless to not notice the fact you only made those comments to see what kind of reaction you would get out of me. Though I think you laid it on too thick with the whole 'living in the shadow of her cousin' bit."
David laughed. It was an honest laugh devoid of derision or sadistic amusement. "And she fires it right back at me without blinking. I can see why your cousin and his little club sent you in to talk to me."
"They figure since Zoe likes me, I might have a chance talking to you without the hostility despite the fact my presence seems to put you into 'I'm gonna' kill something' battle mode before you realize it's me. But I'm going to let that slide since it's Galatea and CADMUS." Kara's amusement faded slightly before she continued. "Look, I know you come from a world where we're a fictional joke, but we can help you."
David's expression softened a little. "And if you were one of the people in charge, Kara, I know you would more than likely help us, but it's not your call." He his gaze then shifted to look over her shoulder as he focused on a shadowy corner. "Isn't that right, Batman?"
Gotham's Dark Knight stepped out of the shadows. "No, but you shouldn't just simply dismiss us either." Batman then looked over at Kara. "Get Kilmarten and Robertson," he ordered. "Maybe they can talk some sense into him." Seeing the young woman hesitate, he added, "Please, Kara."
Reluctantly, Kara left the room and Batman ordered the computer to lock down all outside access and to put all video and audio monitoring devices in stand-by mode. David was about to let out a quip, but Batman held up a hand in warning before reaching into his utility belt to pull out a small disc shaped device that he dropped on a floor. A few moments later, it glowed a faint green color and let out a barely audible hum. "Noise field generator," he told David. "Having been recently compromised by CADMUS, I don't trust anyone."
"Damn, you can be as paranoid as the comics portrayed you." David tilted his head to one side and smiled as he noticed the containment field to his cell began to power down. "Oh, is this the part where you come in and beat the shit out of me for a couple minutes to get answers?"
The Dark Knight just stood there. "Allison Sinclair," he said.
"What about her?" David asked, surprised that Batman actually managed to dig up Ace's real name.
"She wasn't at the facility when we arrived and I caught most of what you said to Waller. What did Waller do?"
David let out a soft sigh and leaned against the wall of his cell. Of all the questions Batman could have asked, why did it have to be this one? "She shot Aly, Batman," he said, shaking his head in remorse. "I thought I had everything planned out. An escape, a way to get home, and I was going to take her with me. Waller knew that and realized Aly was my weakest link before I did."
"She tends to be good at that," Batman said. "I went through what limited data we were able to recover and, according to CADMUS' files, you are your world's equivalent of Lex Luthor."
David couldn't help laughing bitterly at that. "Oh, that's just rich...and I could see why people on this world would think that. But if I'm the Lex Luthor of my world, then you really don't want to see what passes for Superman over there."
"Caestus Pax."
"Ah, someone at CADMUS actually paid attention...no...wait, I take that back. I'm guessing you got that from Zoe."
The corners of Batman's mouth twitched slightly with the barest hint of a smile. "Her cellphone has an interesting video clip of you facing off against him over a supply convoy in Mexico. She has it saved in her favorites along with videos of you attempting to snowboard."
David's eyes widened in horror. "Oh god! Please tell me you deleted that."
"Why? I think you did the right thing regarding Pax if Miss Kilmarten's version of events was true."
"Not that, I'm talking about the snowboarding!" Then David shook his head again. "Nevermind, let's get back to the part where you grill me for information."
"Did you kill all those people at CADMUS as Waller claims?"
"Ah, so now we're getting to the nasty part of the conversation," David said taking a step away from the wall. "Yeah, Batman, it's true, all of it. I killed a bunch of CADMUS personnel, most of their supers that they had in residence, and I plan on killing Galatea once I get the chance. They all have a lot to answer for." He paused and noticed that Batman was still standing there. "What? You're not going to snap, charge forward, throw me against the wall, bash my head into about four random objects, and snarl about me being a monster before demanding more information out of me?"
"Not necessary," Batman said. "So what did you do with Ace's body?"
"Don't know. She's probably buried in the rubble somewhere."
"Now I know you're lying."
David let out another resigned sigh. "Yeah, fine, I'm lying. But they're not going to find her...I just hope..." His voice trailed off and he closed his eyes for a moment, willing the tears not to form. "I hope someone was there on the other side when she got there."
Batman's eyes narrowed at that. "You sent her to your world, didn't you?"
"Yes I did, along with the device we had. I then purged all the data they had in their network on how to get to my world. I'm sure they might have back-ups somewhere, but it's going to take some time for them to get those operational." David then tapped his own forehead. "That data is now only available here."
"Why?"
"Well, duh! Because I don't want them coming to my world. Are you sure you're the world's greatest detective?"
"Why did you spare Ace? She was CADMUS and she was probably the most dangerous weapon in their arsenal."
"Because it wasn't right!" David snapped. "Because of her abilities, she was an asset, a weapon, but she was just a fucking kid! A little girl who was ripped away from her family and turned into a weapon." Then David's voice faltered as his own personal memories came to the forefront. "Because I know what it's like to have that happen. That could have just as easily been me."
"Doesn't change what you've done since you've been brought to our world."
"And what was I supposed to do, Batman? They came to MY world, attacked MY home, killed some of MY people just to abduct me, and then spent the last several days torturing me for information. I don't know about you, but I'm not one to simply sit there and say 'Thank you sir, may I have another?'. Sorry, I'm just not that kind of person." David sat back down on the edge of his bed. "So what happens now?"
"For the moment, we'll be holding you here. We currently have the Monarch in lockdown and we also have one of those portal devices courtesy of Ms. Kilmarten."
"Ah, so it looks like you might be able to find a way to send us home."
"It's only a matter of time," Batman said. "But I'm afraid that we'll have to keep you here until we can send you and the others back."
David yawned a little and stretched out his arms. "Well, good luck with that," he said. "I have no doubt you'll figure it out, but I've got some plans for the next week. And while I will admit your detention cell is a lot more comfy than CADMUS, I think I might have to decline."
"It's not like you have a choice," Barman said. "I am aware of your abilities and we have taken precautions."
David smirked at the man. "Damn, you really got me figured out, don't you, Bruce?"
"If that's an attempt to intimidate me, you're failing miserably."
"True, after all, I'm talking to a guy who probably has plans to take down every member of the Justice League if they ever went rogue."
Though he didn't flinch, there was a fraction of a moment's hesitation before the Batman spoke. "And how would you know that?"
"Oh, I could say it was documented in the comics back home, but I'm just thinking that it's something I would do if I was in your position." David yawned again. "And as much as I'd liked to spend the next few hours talking shop with you, I really need to get some rest. Like I said, I've got some plans for later this week and I need to get ready for them."
"Do you really think that you can escape from here?" Batman asked.
"Oh, I know I can, but I won't have to, Bats. You see, Waller knows I'm up here. You also have her latest toy." David gave the Dark Knight a sly grin. "Did you know that they were originally going to put Captain Atom in that suit? It not only would have fed off the excess quantum he bleeds out to power it, but it also would have amplified his abilities. I have to admit, it's an impressive design for something that was thrown together so quickly. I doubt Waller will let the situation remain like it is. She's invested too much in this project of hers, and it's also cost her." Then David's grin turned a little more sinister. "And I intend to make it a butcher's bill for her when I'm done."
Then his mood suddenly changed and his evil grin disappeared just as the security measures to the detention cell reactivated and the lighting returned to normal.
"Aw, it looks like our chat session has ended," he said, frowning slightly. The door to the detention area opened to reveal Supergirl, Jay, and Zoe standing there. "Hey guys," David cheerfully greeted them, "thanks for coming by. Bats and I were just finishing up."
Batman didn't say anything. Instead he just glared at David for a few more seconds before turning to walk away.
"Batman," David called out just as the Dark Knight had walked past the three people entering the room. He stopped, but didn't look back. "Waller's just the immediate threat. You might want to look into what projects Maxwell Lord is involved with and who he answers to."
Batman didn't say anything, but he didn't like the sense of ominous dread he was starting to feel. A moment later, he pushed it aside and exited the detention area. His conversation with Flynn bothered him, but not for the usual reasons. While the young man revealed some rather disturbing information, it was what he didn't say that bothered Batman even more. David Flynn's mannerisms and attitude did come off as flippant at times, but Batman knew it was mostly a mask...a mask that he was very familiar with whenever Bruce Wayne looked back at him from a mirror. David Flynn was not an arrogant and flippant young man; he was a calculating weapon who was focused on an objective and that objective was Amanda Waller and CADMUS.
And it would be a bloodbath if Flynn and Waller's paths crossed again.
Batman also realized that David Flynn was right about something else: Amanda Waller and CADMUS would do anything to get Flynn and the Monarch armor back.
