Roulette

Let's start this one out with one of the best compliments ever given by anyone, anywhere. It's from a Bob Dylan song.

The way you walk and the way you talk is the way it ought to be.


Gotham

The Joker told his men once what he wanted done. Seven of them were to ride around in a convertible and shoot up the downtown area with the plasma rifles. He didn't explain why. He didn't give them any specific targets or objectives. He most certainly didn't answer any questions.

From a distance it made no sense why anyone would willingly follow the Joker. It always surprised people that he seemed to have an endless supply of lackeys willing to participate in his insane, homicidal schemes. The easiest explanation would be to write them off as society's broken and damaged people that the Joker was simply preying on and using for his own ends.

That would be a reasonable explanation if his were an isolated case. Unfortunately it wasn't. He wasn't the first madman or probably the last that had a following. You only have to look at the twentieth century to see examples on an even bigger scale, The Final Solution, the Five Year Plan, Year Zero and the Great Leap Forward.

Humans are the most evolved mammals on the planet, but like the rest of the mammals they are social animals. Humans had a tendency to form into packs, groups, herds and tribes. The larger the group the more of them are followers. Running in a herd offers protection and safety against the other herds or packs. It also offers direction.

The probably is when you're inside the herd you have very little say over what the direction is. You never know until it's too late if a lemming rushing headlong towards the cliff leads the herd you're in. A few on the edges may pull away as the realization sets in, but most are steered forward unable to change course and follow their leaders into the abyss. Most never even realize they are part of a herd until it's too late.

The lure of the herd is always the same, direction. It simplifies things. It tells you what to wear, to eat, to believe and even what to think. It provides you a worldview that seemingly makes sense of the chaos of life. Leaders, both good and bad, are the ones that offer this. They seem to know all the answers even if they don't share them with anyone else. Those leaders get seemingly normal groups of people to drink the Kool-Aid for whatever mad beliefs they have.


Gotham Police Headquarters

The great archetype of the heroic loner is a myth. Everyone needs friends and allies. Again, humans are social animals. Is it any wonder why the great prophets of old always removed themselves from society and were alone when they had their visions or received their messages? Studies have shown that isolation has a debilitating effect on all humans from infants to adults. Inmates in Super Max prisons have a higher rate of mental illness than any other inmates. This is mainly because they spend 23 hours a day locked in their cell alone.

Humans need other humans. They need contact with them. They need friends and allies.

Commissioner Gordon stood on the rooftop next to the Bat-signal. It's beacon shown up into the night sky. He had been getting reports and rumors from all over the city. His forces were already stretched thin. He had a bad feeling about what was coming and he wanted to speak with the one man that would know more about it than any other.

"Commissioner."

Gordon turned to see the Batman step out of the shadows.

"Batman."

"You look troubled,' Batman offered.

"I feel like I'm sitting on top of a powder keg and the fuse has already been lit,' Gordon replied.

"The Joker."

"Yes, but he's not the only trouble," Gordon stated. "There's a gang war brewing."

"I know." Batman nodded. "Thorne is behind it. He's trying to stir up Falcone and Maroni against one another so they weaken each other and he'll be able to step into the vacuum. He's getting outside help from Metropolis."

"Thorne?" Gordon said with disgust. "He's willing to tear the city apart for his own gains. Don't Falcone and Maroni realize what he's doing?"

"Yes, I imagine they do, but they've been looking for any reason to go after each other,' Batman replied. "They think they can use this as an excuse to finally eliminate the other. They both think they're powerful enough to withstand a war and still take on Thorne afterwards."

"And into this mess we get the Joker.' Gordon lamented. "His attacks have people scared."

"That's what he wants." Batman explained. "He has a contempt for so called civilized society and wants to show everyone it's really just an illusion. Scare people enough and they'll turn on each other."

"But to what end?" Gordon asked.

"Chaos is an end in itself to him," Batman replied. "He doesn't care about money or power, at least not in the normal sense most people think of it. You can't negotiate with someone like him. You can only try and stop him, which is what I intend to do."

"And Falcone, Maroni and Thorne?"

"I'll need your help with them, Commissioner."

"You have it,' Gordon replied. "Them I understand and know how to fight. The Joker is just so unpredictable. The two attacks have nothing in common except loss of life. My detectives have been working round the clock trying to find a pattern, but have come up with nothing. On top of everything else there is this 'Superman' out there. Who knows what he wants? With the abilities he's already shown he could be the worst of them all."

"I don't believe that," Batman flatly stated. "Nothing he's done has been directed at anyone other than criminals. I've seen him in action and while I don't know who he is yet, I sense he might be on our side."

"I pray he is,' Gordon said. "We're not equipped to deal with Metas, especially with his abilities."

"Concentrate on the gang war and the Joker,' Batman replied. "If I'm wrong about this 'Superman' I'll deal with him myself."

"How?' Gordon couldn't help asking.

"I'll think of something,' Batman replied.


Belle Reve

Amanda Waller walked down the hallways toward the infirmary. She had read all the reports from Deadshot's failed assassination attempted on Dinah. Part of her was pleased he'd failed. While she'd never been close with Dinah, they had once been teammates. That engendered a certain amount of loyalty on her part. If Lynch wanted to kill one of their old team, Waller didn't want to play a part in it.

Deadshot had been returned to the prison and was recuperating. There was something in his debriefing that caught Amanda's eye and she wanted more information. Pushing open the infirmary door she brushed past the guards and stood at the bottom of Deadshot's bed.

"You failed." She said it matter of factly. "You realize this void's any agreements made with you."

"Nice to see you too, Warden,' Deadshot replied from his hospital bed.

"You're alive because of me, Deadshot, don't forget that.' Waller pointed out. "If the people that hired you had their way, you'd already be dead. Transferring you back here was the only thing that saved your life."

"My life in prison." Deadshot corrected her. "Am I supposed to thank you?"

"No, just understand who you really work for, me,' Waller explained.

"I understand."

"Good,' Waller replied. "Now I've read your debriefing and I have a few questions."

"Don't you always?"

Waller paid no attention to his attitude and continued on to what she wanted to know.

"You said Black Canary had help?"

"Yes, a crazy chick covered in tattoos that drives like a maniac,' Deadshot replied.

"I know all about her," Waller said. "I want to hear about the other one. The man that appeared out of nowhere and moved fast enough to stop your kill shot."

"Not much to tell you,' Deadshot stated. "He stopped my shot and took me out with one blow. When I woke up I was in custody."

"Describe him or what you saw of him."

"He had an S on his chest,' Deadshot offered.

"Interesting."

Amanda Waller actually smiled at this piece of information.


Gotham

Clark had stopped a couple of muggings and a carjacking. It was minor stuff for Gotham, but it was a start. He was running along the rooftops in the East End where he lived when he heard the squeal of tires. Two black sedans came barreling around the corner and pedestrians scampered out of the way. He did a quick scan of the street and saw some men he recognized as being part of one of the crime families. The two sedans were heading straight for them. He dropped down from the rooftop just as the windows on the sedans open and some sort of energy weapons fired. They were firing at the men on the sidewalk. The men scrambled for cover as the energy beams indiscriminately blasted away.

He didn't have time to think and started towards the sedans. The men on the sidewalk were cut down before he could get to the cars. Someone inside the lead car must have seen him approaching because suddenly the energy beams shifted and fired at Clark. He dodged the first volleys but then one of them caught him square in the chest. He screamed and was thrown back to the sidewalk by the impact. It hurt, it hurt a lot, but then he realized it hadn't cut through his skin the way it did with the men on the sidewalk.

More beams hit him. It was agony, but he scrambled to avoid their fire. The sedans hadn't slowed down and were heading straight for a crowd of people coming out of one of the small nightclubs that dotted the area. Clark saw some the beams started to shift towards the club goers as if to clear them out of the way. Others continued to fire at him, but now he was on his feet again and moving so they didn't hit their target.

The multiple shots he'd already taken had hurt but mostly they'd pissed him off. Without thinking it through he rushed towards the lead car. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the people scrambling to get out of the way, but at the speed the sedans were moving they wouldn't make it. They were going to run them over and didn't seem to care.

"NO."

It was the only word that came from his lips as he dashed straight for the lead car. He wasn't thinking, just going on instinct as he grabbed hold of the car and lifted. The car was over his head before he realized it. He turned and two beams of red flashed from his eyes and took out the front tires of the second car. It continued straight for him. He turned, still holding the first sedan over his head and rushed towards it.

The sound of the impact of the first car being driven into the second filled the night air. The two cars were mangled and the occupants in a daze, as Clark ripped the driver's side door off and pulled the men out of the car. One of them tried raising his pulse rifle to fire at him, but Clark snatched it from his hand and snapped it in two. He moved to the other car at incredible speed and repeated the maneuver. The gunmen lay in the street in shock as he destroyed their weapons like they were made of paper.

The sound of sirens grew closer as the police came rushing to the scene. Just as they turned the corner, Clark turned and leaped into the darkness of the night. The police found the wreckage of the two cars and the weapons along with some rather astonished gunmen. At first they didn't know what to make of it but then several of the pedestrians came forward to tell what happens. Several had actually caught Clark lifted the car over his head on their cell phones. Those pictures would be all over the papers in the morning.


Gotham – Wayne Manor

Ev walked into the gym expecting to find Dinah working out again. She'd never met anyone as driven to recover as fast as possible as Dinah. She was a little surprised when she didn't see her. Moving through the area she heard the sound of water and followed it. Ev was even more surprised when she found Dinah actually relaxing in the Jacuzzi.

"Hey,' Dinah said with a smile.

"Hey, yourself,' Ev replied. "Who are you and what have you done with my obsessive, control freak friend Dinah?'

"Ha-Ha." Dinah offered. "I'm not that bad."

"Right, cause everyone that's been shot in the back pushes themselves to the brink of exhaustion daily,' Ev sarcastically said.

"I'm just rehabbing that's all,' Dinah protested.

"Honey, I'm rehabbing, what you're doing is borderline crazy,' Ev stated. "What got you in the Jacuzzi anyway? Finally push yourself too hard?"

"No, I just felt like relaxing, is that all right?" Dinah asked.

"Sure, since it's what I've been telling you to do since we got here,' Ev replied.

"Maybe I'm finally taking your advice."

"Uh-huh, I don't buy that for a minute,' Ev countered. "Alfred said you went out for a while. Good day I take it?"

"Yeah,' Dinah replied, her smile getting a little bigger.

Ev saw this and moved over to the side of the Jacuzzi.

"So what did you do on your first day out?" She asked.

"Oh, you know, just drove around mostly,' Dinah offered. "I stopped and picked up some clothes from my place, that sort of thing."

"Right, cause getting 'clothes' always makes people smile like that,' Ev replied. "You went and saw him, didn't you?"

When Dinah didn't reply, but sunk a little deeper into the Jacuzzi, Ev had to laugh.

"Well, look at you,' Ev said. "I think you're blushing, Miss Lance. What exactly did you two do today?"

"We talked,' Dinah finally offered.

"And?"

"That's it, we just talked."

"That's it?' Ev asked. "You're really shitty at telling stories, you know that, don't you?"

"You asked what happened,' Dinah countered.

"Sure, but the way you're smiling I was thinking there would be some more spicy details,' Ev replied. "So you didn't sleep with him?"

"NO!" Dinah gasped.

"Okay, relax, I had to ask as a friend,' Ev said. "You've thought about it, though, haven't you?'

Dinah didn't reply but sunk a little deeper into the water so it was up to her chin.

"I'll take that as a yes." Ev grinned. "So you really like him, don't you?"

"Yeah,' Dinah admitted.

"I though you kind of liked Bruce?" Ev asked.

The smile slipped a bit from Dinah's lips as she sat up slightly.

"I do,' she replied.

"Have you slept with him?' Ev asked.

"NO!" Dina gasped again. "What is it with you? I don't just sleep with everyone guy I like you know!"

"Jeez, take it easy, I was just asking,' Ev grumbled. "It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if you had."

"I didn't sleep with either of them,' Dinah flatly stated.

"But you've thought about it, haven't you?" Ev asked with a smile. "Well, look at you, two guys at once. You're got yourself a little love triangle. You vixen, Dinah, I didn't think you had it in you."

"Oh, shut up."


Gotham

The convertible moved down Main Street forcing other cars off the road as they occupants fired in all directions. People, buildings, it didn't matter to them what they hit. People fled in every directions but this only gave the Joker's men more targets. Victims fell on all sides.

They didn't see the Batarangs take out their tires, but they felt it as the car lurched and swerved. The men were jostled and one of the ones in the back happened to glance behind them and saw Batman on his motorcycle coming hard. They moved to fire at him, but he beat them to the punch. Firing his twin guns he took out the rear of the car and it smashed into a light pull. The men were dazed, but they climbed out still firing their plasma rifles, only now their focus was on hitting the Batman.

The energy beams licked as his heels as he raced by the disabled car and fired his grappling hook. He caught one of the men by the ankle and let the momentum of his cycle do the rest. The man's feet were swept out from under him and he barreled into the others as he was dragged along the street. A smoke bomb obscured everything and as the men made it back to their feet they didn't know which what to turn.

Out of the smoke Batman moved, taking out man after man. He fought up close so their rifles were useless. They were no match for his skills and the fight was over before the smoke cleared. When the police arrived a short time later they found all of Joker's men tied up and unconscious.


Gotham Day Break

Lashina opened the curtains in her hotel room and let the morning sun in as she listened to the television reports of the previous night's activities. She had heard them once before, but wanted to see if there was any more details. She had been in Gotham for two days, just watching and reporting to Granny. She wasn't wearing her customary attire, but was dressed in black slacks and a black sheer blouse. She opened the sliding door leading to the terrace and stepped outside.

Granny had given Lashina this assignment from among the Furies because of her unique history. Like everyone born on Apokolips, Lashina was a God, but she was also a young God. By Earth standards she would be 25, but growing up on Apokolips she felt much older than that. She had been to Earth before. Bernadeth had betrayed her and stranded her here because she feared Lashina would be a rival for leadership of the Furies.

Six long months Lashina had spent plotting her revenge. She had manipulated those around her on Earth into helping her get back and when she did she killed Bernadeth and battled half of Apokolips with the aid of her Earth born reluctant allies. Darkseid had made her pay for that, killing her and then bringing her back as a lesson to all.

It was a hard lesson to learn, but Lashina took it to heart. She was a soldier, a killer in service to Darkseid and Granny Goodness. She might be a God, but like all armies there was a chain of command. Everyone served Darkseid. The next level was his generals and elites like Granny. Those under them served them too. Lashina was in the next level of Apokolips society. Being a Fury granted her privileges, but she never forgot whom she served.

It was during her stay on Earth that Lashina realized why Darkseid was interested in this small, backwards planet. His goal was the anti-life equation and he believed the key was somehow connected to this world. Lashina also realized during that time why he wanted it. With the anti-life equation change stopped and change was what every ruler feared the most. The very name of those on Apokolips and New Genesis, the New Gods implied there were Old Gods. Just as Darkseid and his forces defeated and took over for the Old Gods, he feared the same thing could happen to him. If he stopped change, he would stop everything. He would rule forever. What dictator didn't dream of that?

Lashina had no real interest in him finding the anti-life equation, but she was a soldier so she did what she was ordered to do. She served at his pleasure and had already experience the price of not pleasing him. She knew she wasn't alone in these thoughts. Granny had beat and tortured it into all the Furies that only the best survive. You were either rising or falling in power. Lashina secretly suspected some of the Elites as well as Granny had dreams of one day replacing Darkseid. They weren't strong enough to defeat him, but that didn't mean they would do nothing if the opportunity presented itself.

Lashina knew there was no God on Apokolips that was strong enough take on Darkseid, but the universe was a huge place. Perhaps even on a backwards planet like this one there was someone with the potential to beat him. She was a soldier, but Lashina also believed in change. She just needed to keep her eyes open for it when it appeared.


Gotham

It was almost one in the afternoon when Selina finally got out of bed. She was wearing a pair of gray shorts and a Black Flag tee shirt that she'd slept in. Slipping her feet into her favorite fuzzy slippers and pulling on her silk robe she slowly made her way to her front door and opened it. The paper was resting in front of her neighbor's door and she picked it up and carried it back into her apartment. The coffee maker was set on a timer so there was already a full pot waiting. Pouring herself a large cup, Selina sat down at her kitchen table and took the first sip. A smile crossed her face as she savored it. Opening the paper she wanted to see what had happened the night before. The huge picture just below the headline almost made her drop her cup. It was the cell phone picture of Superman lifting the car over his head. She sat there stunned staring at the photo. She squinted hard at it for several seconds.

"What the hell?" Selina sputtered. "The farm boy's Superman?"