CHAPTER 5: Everything Changes
Author's note: Life has been catching up to me lately as has work but I'm pushing through it. On another note, I thought I'd bring up some things I feel should be addressed. This is not rooted in any continuity that DC has made. This was an idea born of a what if that has taken on its own life. Secondly, and this is more for myself, I came up with a timeline. I'll keep most of it to myself for the time being, but the general gist is that the Trinity had been working together for a decade and that Bruce and Diana had been dating for two years, almost three. For all the speculators out there, I'm glad you have such great theories for what I have stored. For now, thanks for your enjoyment!
Diana's hands are crossed and her expression one of scorn. But it was not out of anger or hate, but concern. They had just returned from Apokalips after rescuing Kara Zor-El from Darkseid's control.
"You were reckless, Bruce," she sternly told him. He looked her dead in the eyes, his expression unchanging and uncompromised.
"It was a calculated risk, Diana. I knew what I was doing," he replied, his own tone unflinching from the resolve he never wavered from.
"Darkseid could have killed you!" Diana shouted.
"He couldn't, not if he wanted his home and throne reduced to nothing," Bruce shot back, his tone remaining the same. "I knew that he would concede and he did. Kara is no longer under his thumb, Darkseid has sworn not to meddle with her any more, and his attempts at revenge were thwarted by Clark. I normally don't linger on the victories, Diana, but this is one not to bicker on."
"Bruce, you could have died! Why for the love of Hera did you put yourself on the line for that gambit?" Bruce stood up, removed his cowl and glared deep into her own eyes.
"Because Clark deserved it," he said softly. Diana expected a growl, a pushback of some sort, but this had genuinely surprised her.
"What?"
"Clark had found the last remaining member of his family, a single connection to a world he never knew and a lineage he never grew to learn much about. If there was anything that 'The Man Who Has Everything' didn't truly have it was a family from Krypton. He deserved that family, he deserved the chance to learn about his people from the voice of someone he shared a kinship with," Bruce turned around and sat back in his chair, his front facing the large monitor of his computer, which had been replaced by the previous one that Kara Zor-El melted down by accident. "He deserved a chance I never had Diana. I won't apologize for that gamble. It was a calculated risk."
"Oh, Bruce," Diana finally uttered after a moment of deep contemplation. She gently put a hand on his shoulder. "You have a family, and you will always have friends who will be there for you. And you have all the time you could ever want to expand on those both."
Hard, fast paced steps echoed throughout the stone hall, the old craftsmanship shining on every brick and surface. The end of the hall led to a great menagerie of plant life and animals, all exotic and in jeopardy. The people here were the safeguards for these endangered things, their stewards and protectors. Here was the home of the League of Assassins.
"Father," Talia al Ghul greeted hastily as soon as she saw the illustrious Ra's al Ghul. Without turning to face her, Ra's motioned for a servant to take the tiger cub from his arms.
"Careful, this cub is one of the last of its kind; any mishandling could ruin every chance it has to recover," he told the servant, his voice calm but full of the weight it held. The young member bowed and gently scooped the cub from her master's arms and slowly left to bring the young tiger back to its enclosure. Ra's al Ghul swiveled to face his daughter.
"Talia, what troubles you?" he asked, his tone unmoving and uncompromised.
"I request permission to leave for Gotham," Talia told him.
"Request denied," her father flatly replied.
"Why?" she asked, doing her best not to beg.
"Because the Detective is not there, he is in that space station of his being tended to by his peers. There should be no reason for you to even consider going to that putrid city without the Batman present. Your request is denied, Talia," Ra's stated to her coldly. He started to walk into a different chamber before stopping and inclined his head in her direction. "If you disobey me and leave for Gotham, know that returning here will be met with severe consequences, Daughter."
"Yes, Father, I understand," Talia muttered, lowering her head. When Ra's was away from sight, Talia stormed off and made preparations for a trip to Gotham. Her father's orders be damned, Bruce was in trouble and she had to see to him. She would weather whatever her father intended for her when she got back. Stopping midway, Talia pondered on another matter. Were she to go through with the other idea, the consequences would be much greater than if she just went with what she had initially planned. Talia mulled over the possibilities. Clenching her fists tight, she rushed over to another room.
To hell with the consequences.
*/*/*
The gathered members of the Justice League and the associated heroes filled the meeting hall. Those who were incapable of attending were in secluded areas where the transmissions would not be leaked out to any outside force. This was perhaps Clark's biggest fear: that someone could potentially hack any one of the communications and spread what would be told throughout the world. He breathed deeply and looked to his left, where he had hoped Diana would be. But after the Joker's last "joke" she once more holed herself at Themyscria and was not responding to any of his hails. A sudden hand placed on his shoulder startled him, and Clark turned to see J'onn behind him.
"Courage, old friend. We must put up a strong front. I know it will be hard, but we will be by your side," J'onn said as he motioned towards the other founding members. Clark looked at them: Arthur Curry, Aquaman; Barry Allen, The Flash; and finally Hal Jordan, Green Lantern. Clark sighed with a small smile as he saw the nods of his friends. He loudly cleared his throat and asked for the silence and attention of everyone gathered.
"Everyone, I thank you for coming and attending this meeting. As many of you are aware, five days ago a simultaneous attack from multiple villain cells and individuals divided most of the attention from the League. In the ensuing chaos, the Joker lured Batman into a trap that rendered him in a life-threatening state. That is what we have told the public. What I am about to tell you now does not leave the Watchtower. It is not to be discussed with anyone outside these walls, League affiliate or not. The trap made by the Joker was uncharacteristic of him: simple, straightforward, and single-minded. He had one goal: to kill Batman," Clark did not mean to pause, but he ended up anyway. It was not for drama, for tension, or even for a breath. It was because he finally had the fact settle in: his friend was gone for good. What he would say solidified that. "The Joker succeeded in his endeavor. He and Batman were caught within an explosion that as far as we can tell killed them both. To ensure that the city he protected and called home did not erupt into chaos and violence, we have led all to believe that Batman survived but is grievously injured. To the public, the Batman lives. But to us, the man we had come to know as Batman is gone. His mantle is expected to be inherited by Nightwing, but that is not a guarantee. For now, the seat Batman left behind in the League will be vacant until said otherwise. In addition, until further notice, Wonder Woman has retired from the League and we will begin vetting her replacement within the Council soon. Thank you all once more, and please, no matter what you thought or felt about Batman, keep him in your mind; he may not have been the best of us, the strongest of us, but he was the most determined for a just and safe world. That's all," Superman ended his speech by bowing his head low and silently asking for a moment to dedicate to the memory of his dear friend. Afterwards, as the many heroes left to return to their homes, he was approached by Flash and Green Lantern.
"Do you think the kid will take up on the chance?" Hal asked. Superman shook his head.
"I thought I should tell you that I surveyed the blast zone again, to get a bet look at what might have happened, and I have to say it was clear and cut as it can get," Barry murmured. "Single blast originating from a high vantage. The Joker knew Bruce well enough that any other explosives would have tipped him off."
"J'onn already had a chat with the hostage, Barry. We have an idea of what transpired," Clark told him, exhausted.
"That's what I'm getting at, Clark, we don't know. Somehow, someway, the Joker managed to get one over on Batman," Barry emphasized. J'onn approached them.
"He has done it before, with a distraction or a sleight of hand," he said. Clark nodded.
"Enough about the Joker, what's the situation with Diana? Is she not coming back at all? I know you mentioned her retirement beforehand but we never went into the details of that. Mind filling us in?" Hal interjected before the conversation over the Joker and Bruce could continue.
"As I told you before, it's up to Diana to tell you her reasons, I'm not gonna be the messenger boy in this," Clark told them, putting up his hands and discreetly backing away. He had other things to deal with now that the League was fully aware of the situation.
*/*/*
Amanda Waller scanned her eyes across the words of the last page on her clipboard. It hardly seemed real.
"And you absolutely did not mishear or misunderstand a thing said?" she asked, making sure she was thorough. The figure she was talking to was kept in the shadows and their voice was being distorted not for Waller's sake but in the offhanded chance they were being listened or spied in on. She wanted to ensure her eyes and ears in the Justice League were never caught. Especially now that the one person who most likely knew about this setup was dead.
"Everythwing you have in your hand is everything I heard, Ms. Waller," the other person said. Waller sighed.
"Batman dead, Wonder Woman retiring, and Gotham is a powder keg ready to blow. You did good, soldier. Dismissed," she told the other. A salute was the response and the person left the room. Waller pushed a button on her desk and reached for an intercom. "Flag, I've a mission for you. In Gotham. Be in my office on the double." Amanda Waller leaned back in her chair, her fingers crisscrossed against the other. Opportunities like this don't come every day, and she was going to make the most of it.