Chapter 13: Social Evening

Clark had left Gotham early. Not because he'd been trying to get away from Bruce's boys or the butler, but more because he'd slept badly. If he felt more serene in his relationship with the Bat, it had only brought back his deep-seated anxieties about his powers. He had been afraid that Bruce would notice him the night before, after they returned to the Cave, but he did not. Once again, he had felt energy flowing through his fingers and up his arm. It worried him greatly.

So when he woke up, he gathered his things and went straight to the Fortress of Solitude, which taught him nothing more than what Caulder had told him: the energy he was building up could manifest itself as a new power, or make him a walking bomb. A bomb of immeasurable energy.

This question had been on his mind for a while when he was alone. He knew that he was hiding from things, that he was denying what was happening to him. Because he was afraid. Afraid of doing harm, afraid of being a danger. If things got worse... He didn't want to be responsible for something as big as the disappearance of Coast City and its 7 million inhabitants. An entire city wiped off the map, if not more. He could never live with that on his conscience.

Clark shook off his dark thoughts and headed to Metropolis. He got ready to go to the Daily Planet and was one of the first to arrive. Even Perry and Lois weren't there yet. He then turned his attention to their case about Cadmus and the unspecified transport of marchandises. If they had better and more legal evidence, they would be able to bring down the labs. But he was very curious about what was going on there and was determined to dig a little deeper.

It was impossible for them to check the contents of the containers, but Clark was sure that the container they were interested in was under a false name. So they might as well make a list, confirming identities or not. What better way than to pretend to be a canvasser on the phone to see if the numbers were fake? After all, he wasn't a policeman, so it was impossible for him to verify by name.

Following the list he'd taken, he'd started sorting through things early on and had been rejected over and over again by phone. Truth be told, Clark didn't care. As long as the phone rang and the answering machine confirmed, he was content with that.

When his colleague arrived with another cup of coffee, the journalist explained what he was doing and together they got down to business. Spending the morning on the phone was a long and tedious process. Many times Clark had to make himself a cup of coffee to keep from falling asleep and had taken every opportunity to put on his cape and move around. This had led to many excuses to go to the bathroom, which could have been justified by the gallons of coffee he was downing.

Clark spent his entire morning there, as well as the time during his lunch break to make phone calls. Opposite him, Lois had decided to do a double check and was searching the Internet for other traces of the existence of the people or companies listed.

If at first, people's answers didn't affect him, Clark had finally gotten fed up. He was known to have a certain amount of patience, but this was not the day he could demonstrate it. He was just fed up. He felt like he was not making any progress on this investigation and wondered if he was finally fooling himself a little too as to the meaning of the investigation. Lois seemed to see his discouragement as the day went on.

"You know Clark, Perry is allowing us to leave early today, to get organized for the evening. "

"Okay. "

Clark jotted down another fake ID on a notepad. They'd already found over thirty. That was only the first sort.

"Which means you don't have to do this all day," Lois continued.

"Is that a kindness from Lois Lane? "

Her colleague shrugged.

"Let's just say you look like a prison escapee and it would be a good thing if tonight you could look better. "

Clark smiled despite her remark.

"I was thinking the same thing. Benevolence doesn't suit you! "

Lois stuck her tongue out at him in response. Clark looked at the master list, read a few names and looked up the phone number of the next name.

"I'm leaving in an hour. You should do the same. "

"I will. "

He made the call and came across a wrong number. He added it to his list and continued the investigation, reading the next few names in advance. He ticked on one of the names.

"That's weird. "

"Everything is always weird in Metropolis, Kent. Be more specific. "

"It's just that one name rings a bell, but I can't put a face to it. "

The reporter stopped typing on her computer keyboard.

"It must be a classic name. What is it? "

"Jason Kane. "

"Classic. With all these names, they should all sound familiar. "

The Kryptonian let it go, but he was not convinced. He then checked the next numbers on the list, until he came to the famous Jason Kane. Clark looked at the complete list, which didn't give much information about the containers or the owner. He sighed. Jason Kane. He didn't know why it looked so familiar. Yet he had an excellent visual and auditory memory, those Kryptonian genes playing a big part.

He quickly came to the conclusion that it was not a forgotten memory, but an affiliation of his brain to something. Something he had to find. But he was only having extraneous thoughts. Jason, he assigned directly to Jay. And Kane, to Bruce. Damn it, he really had to get that family out of his head, it was keeping him from thinking and being objective. But he couldn't get the idea out of his head.

Clark sighed. Maybe Lois was right. Maybe he'd better go and it was a classic alias. There must have been dozens of Jason Kane. Curious, he looked up in the phone book how many people in Gotham were named Jason Kane. There were none. He couldn't find any. There had been one, of Jason Kane, who had died of a heart attack at the age of 72 and was listed in the obituary section of their own newspaper two years earlier.

He looked up Jason Kane's registration date. It was almost six years earlier. Six years. Just like when Jason had died. Clark saw coincidences everywhere. Jason, deceased the same year. Kane, Bruce's mother's maiden name. That's ridiculous. If Bruce had been robbed, surely he would have said so or fixed the problem and there would have been no need to investigate Cadmus. It was ridiculous.

But the more he turned this idea over in his head, the more he doubted himself. He needed to check. He looked at the number of the container and began to put his things away, retrieving his jacket.

"You're right, I'll go. We meet on the spot? "

"Are you serious? You're not coming to get me? "

"With what vehicle? A bike or an old pickup? "

She rolled her eyes.

"You're a hopeless case, Clark Kent. See you tonight then. Don't be late. "

He winked at her with a smile and left the office, waving at Jimmy as he went.

Clark entered Gotham Harbor and set out to find the famous container on his own. According to the logbook he had stolen, the container had recently been moved, but its new location had not been notified.

He spent more than two hours walking around the port, checking the names of the containers without success. He had to be careful not to be seen or heard, while checking each block he passed. The numbers were visible to everyone, but they were never the right ones. The KC-4739 container. He had found PC-4739, KC-4639 and KC-4779 containers. But not the one he was looking for.

He was about to give up when he found one with no visible number. But he was Superman. Checking to see if there were any witnesses around, Clark shifted the container next to it, which hid one of the sides. Container KC-4739. Finally. He then examined it closely, looking at the door mechanism: apart from its classic opening system, there was nothing surprising. Except for two more than useless holes. Then some recent paint marks on some corners.

It was an excellent job. Clark had to admit, if he hadn't had such good eyesight, he wouldn't have noticed anything. The location of the hidden marks were reminiscent of Bruce's security systems. Maybe Clark was too paranoid. They could simply be old reinforcement locks.

He then shifted his vision to see inside the container. He recoiled when he realized that his x-ray vision couldn't see through. He touched the metal wall and guessed that the inside of the container had been painted with lead paint.

He had a bad feeling. With all the recent events, the contents of the container could be dangerous for him. He couldn't check the contents alone. Even if there was nothing there, he needed someone who could help him find a lead.

Clark stayed for a good ten minutes pacing in front of the container. He had a name in mind. An idea to check out. But if he followed his train of thought, that made him very paranoid. Scared. Because he wanted to make sure he wasn't in danger of being exposed to kryptonite. But on the other hand, it was all just an accumulation of assumptions, and Clark had nothing concrete in his possession, nor any evidence of anything potentially wrong.

He was in danger of losing his credibility if he asked for help. But he needed confirmation that his theories were unfounded. He needed someone to tell him that the idea that was forming in his head was wrong.

He finally took out his phone and wrote a short message, which he sent without hesitation this time. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to explain himself too much. The response was almost immediate. Clark knew then that he wouldn't have to wait very long. Which was a good thing, because he was expected afterwards and had to prepare himself.

He walked around the container and the ones around it, carefully avoiding the people in the area. Clark replayed the beginning of their investigation with Lois in his head. The reporter had been tipped off about Cadmus Labs being involved in questionable activities. Clark and Lois had gone on to spy on the Metropolis lab, which had led them to nighttime activities not listed in their actions. Lois was a firm believer in trafficking. Maybe it was true. But it had led him here, to Gotham, to the harbor.

"Hi Clark. What do you need? "

Clark greeted the green superhero in front of him, who changed into his civilian clothes as soon as he stepped on the ground.

"I need you to do me a favor, from you to me. "

The reporter must have had a telling facial expression because the other man raised an eyebrow.

"Of course. Will it take long? Because I have a date tonight with Cowgirl... "

"Don't worry. This thing is covered in lead paint and I wouldn't want any nasty surprises when I get in. "

"Any connection to the JL? "

"I hope not. "

"All right, then step aside. "

"Thanks, Hal. "

Hal Jordan nodded as Clark stepped away from the door. When the fighter pilot opened the door, he had a disappointed expression on his face.

"It's empty. "

Clark joined him and entered the container first. He immediately felt a sense of discomfort, as if he was caught in a giant vice and was running out of air. It wasn't lead paint related. He brushed his fingertips against the wall as Hal examined the bottom for false bottoms or other hiding places.

"There's nothing there at all Clark. "

It was certain that there was nothing left. But there had been something. Something very disturbing. Clark could feel it. It was a feeling he hated.

"Can your ring detect traces of radioactivity or technology? "

"Okay. You're worrying me, Supes. Ring. Environmental scan. "

"High levels of radiation. Kryptonian in origin. "

"Ring. Give us some details. "

"Large amount of ore. Estimate: between 1900 and 2000 pounds. "

Clark felt a chill run up his spine: that was about 900kg of kryptonite. Hal had another reaction.

"Ring. Are you sure of your estimate? "

"Estimate between 1900 and 2000 pounds. "

"Holy crap. "

Hal looked at Clark, who was getting out of the container. Once they were both out, they closed the container. The Green Lantern resumed:

"Holy shit, this much kryptonite is impossible! Can you imagine? You could have died just by being exposed to it! "

"I can only imagine what that much energy could do in the wrong hands. "

"We've got to warn HQ. "

Clark felt a ball form in the pit of his stomach. Was it really just fear?

"I'll do it. I have to check something first. Thanks for your help, Hal. I'll see you at the Tower. Have a good meeting! "

"This whole thing stinks. Take care of yourself, Clark. "

"You too. "

He watched Hal change and leave the harbor. Clark retrieved his glasses and cleaned them. So much kryptonite... in whose possession? Bruce would never have possessed that much kryptonite, he would have told him. So who was in possession of it? Lex Luthor ? No sense. He was Cadmus' main backer. He wouldn't steal from himself. Although, it could be part of one of his elaborate schemes... and Luthor wanted him dead. The latter was more likely to be the thief than the owner originally.

Clark scratched the back of his head in thought. This whole thing didn't bode well, and it hadn't for a while. He had to take action and do as Bruce did, assume the worst. That's what Bruce always did. That was one thing that never changed.

The thought that Clark was currently having did not sit well with him. Had Caulder spoken? No, the scientist was a respectable person who could be trusted. So why, in spite of everything, did Clark have this terrible feeling? This foreboding that he felt in the pit of his stomach, that was casting doubt on everything? Until he questioned Batman's integrity?

The sound of voices a few hundred yards away reminded him that he had to leave. He had a party planned and couldn't afford to be late. He flew to Metropolis. He chose the fanciest outfit he had and prepared himself appropriately. He matched his navy blue three-piece suit with a tie of the same hue, shined his shoes, picked out his nicest cufflinks, and chose not to put anything in his clutch, as he had nothing suitable in his possession.

Clark arrived at the Metropolis Museum three minutes early. He didn't wait very long for Lois to arrive. Lois got out of a cab in a resplendent outfit. Dressed in a black sheath dress with a V-neck and her hair pulled up in an arranged bun, she had all the air of a femme fatale. He was forced to admit that she had a hell of a look.

The young woman walked up the steps to Clark, who held out his arm for her to take. After all, he knew how to be a gentleman, too.

"Clark, I'm amazed! I didn't think you were capable of being so elegant! "

The concerned raised the eyes to the sky.

"I'll try to take that as a compliment. You look great too. "

"Thank you. "

She gave him a smile that matched her outfit. He smiled back and they made their way to the entrance. Clark presented their invitations and they entered the museum.

The main hall of the facility served as the reception area. The removable pedestals had been moved and only the pieces that could not be removed remained on display. Clark easily spotted the changes from the last time he had been here. The larger, more valuable pieces had been moved and smaller ones were on display. Maybe that would deter thieves from attacking.

The hall was crowded with people from the highest society. For a moment, this intimidated Clark. This was clearly not the same world. He grabbed two glasses of champagne and handed one to Lois, while she watched each guest present with sparks in her eyes. She was looking for the most interesting targets.

"Clark Kent! I'm so glad you came! "

The man of steel turned to the redheaded woman who was coming towards him.

"Miss Colona, thank you for your invitation. This is my friend Lois Lane. "

The two women greeted each other.

"Your reputation precedes you, Miss Lane. Call me Elena. "

"And I'm Lois. I've heard a lot about you. "

The reporter winked at him and Clark cursed his colleague inwardly. The curator smiled delightedly.

"I must leave you to greet other arrivals. I hope you have a good time, and I hope to talk to you again later this evening. "

She left with one last look at Clark. As soon as her back was turned, he heard Lois say:

"You've got quite a touch Clark! If you want to enjoy the evening, go ahead, feel free! "

"I'm not in the mood, Lois. "

She took his arm again, raising an eyebrow.

"Is the Cadmus investigation still going to your head? "

Clark shrugged.

"Let's call it that. "

"I'll lead the way then! "

She led them through the mass of people present. Clark spotted a few familiar faces, rich families, business leaders, billionaires... He had no trouble spotting Lex Luthor, but he decided to avoid him. There were enough people for that.

His eyes met Dinah's, on the arm of her husband. They made no sign of exchange that could reveal the existence of a relationship that bound them. He was content to follow Lois, who tried two approaches with other people before spotting a prime target. An aristocratic heir to a wealthy Gotham family.

Clark had no choice but to follow her. The closer they got to the Bat, the worse Clark felt. That gut feeling that screamed at him to get away, that he was in danger. He felt the energy spread through his fingers and pulled away from Lois just as they reached the Bat, who was talking to someone else.

He clenched his jaw in an attempt to regain control of his emotions, before he saw Ted Kord talking to him.

"Good evening Gentlemen, what a wonderful surprise to see you this evening! "

"Miss Lane. I must admit to being equally surprised. "

If Bruce put words into it, his facial expression didn't change one iota. Next door, the Blue Beetle had another, completely opposite reaction.

"Lane? Lois Lane? The famous Daily Planet reporter? "

"The same one," she answered with a smile.

"You see me totally charmed. I am a great reader of your articles. Ted Kord. "

Clark felt Bruce's gaze on him, but waited until Lois finished with Ted to introduce himself, which she did for him.

"This is my colleague Clark Kent. He's assisting me with my articles. "

Clark shook hands with both men.

"Gentlemen. "

He said nothing more. He didn't try to defend himself. He could feel Bruce's inquisitive gaze on him, and his presence alone made him uncomfortable. Was Bruce a danger to him, and to all the other Kryptonians? Did one of his catastrophic scenarios involve the annihilation of his people?

He drank the last of his cup in one gulp, chasing away the extreme ideas that came to mind, and took another cup as he passed by while Lois talked to Bruce.

"You owe me an interview, Mr. Wayne. "

"I thought I'd turned you down for that interview. "

"That would be a waste, I'm sure a man as secretive as you are has a lot to say. "

"None of your business. "

Lois shrugged, but the look on her face said the conversation wasn't over:

"Okay, fine. What were you talking about? "

It was the Blue Beetle who answered:

"Business, actually. It turns out that Mr. Wayne and I share a rather similar vision of new technologies. I was telling him about a new project of mine that might be carried out with Mr. Palmer... By the way, where is he... "

Clark also looked around for the man before Ted finally beckoned him over.

"Are you Ray Palmer? From Palmer Industries?" engaged Lois.

"That's right, and you're...? "

"Lois Lane, from the Daily Planet. "

"Bruce Wayne, Wayne Enterprises. "

"Clark Kent, also from the Daily Planet. "

Ray frowned slightly as he greeted them and Ted spoke again.

"I was just explaining to this lovely creature that we're working on a joint project. "

"Oh, you're interested in the subatomic universe? "

Lois smiled awkwardly and looked to Clark for help, but Clark had no reaction. His mind was too far away to follow the conversation properly. He drank more champagne, which only titillated his taste buds without the effects of alcohol.

"Not really... I don't know much about physics. "

Ray made a disappointed face before jumping when a hand came down on his shoulder.

"Ray! I wanted you to meet my lovely wife, Dinah! "

Clark adjusted his tie before turning to the newcomers.

"Oh, sorry, I hope I wasn't interrupting your conversation. Shall we go through the introductions? Ray, as I was saying, this is Dinah, my lovely wife. And I'm-"

"Oliver Queen. Congratulations on your campaign, Mayor," said Ted. "I'm Ted Kord. "

"Ah, Ray told me about you. Nice to meet you. But don't declare me the winner just yet, the campaign isn't over yet. "

"According to the predictions, you have a much better chance of being elected mayor," said Bruce.

"Oh, Mr. Wayne. You're pretty well known. " He turned to the two reporters. "Oh, Miss Lane! You've got quite a reputation yourself. I have to thank you for those arms dealers a year ago. There was a cell in Star City that was dismantled thanks to your information. "

The reporter blushed.

"I'm glad to hear that, Mr. Queen. But I must admit that I couldn't have done this investigation without the help of my colleague, Clark Kent. "

Clark shook Oliver's hand.

"Oh, I think I read your article on Sudan. You've got some nerve. "

"That was in Mali. But thanks. "

Dinah tossed her brown hair back before addressing Clark.

"Don't blame Oliver, he's terrible with landmarks. "

"It's true that you're conducting quite a few investigations" said Ted. "Tell us, are you on a case right now? "

All eyes turned to them. Even Bruce's. Clark clenched his jaw again. What he had discovered brought more questions than answers, and he could dispel most of his fears by talking to the Bat. It was something he was itching to do, but he had to restrain himself.

"Yes," Lois replied. "But we're in a bit of a bind. It's still occupying my colleague's mind. "

"Oh, a weird clue? " hyped Oliver.

"Not really, it's just about a name. You're getting ahead of yourself, Kent. "

Clark watched the reactions and tuned in. If Lois brought up the subject, he wasn't going to pass up the chance. Bruce couldn't run away from the conversation.

"What name?" asked Dinah, interested.

It was the moment of truth. He stared at Bruce before saying:

"Jason Kane. "

Bruce's expression did not change. He remained impassive, betraying no emotion. But Clark had heard him. That faint acceleration of his heart rate. It was like a cold shower for him, as unsuspecting Lois continued:

"About Gotham. "

"It's a fairly common name," Ray commented.

"That's what I said. But it's a little stubborn. "

Clark didn't pick up on what had been said. He stared at Bruce as he felt his anger rising. He finished his cup before handing it back to a waiter and continued:

"Does that name sound familiar, Mr. Wayne? You're from Gotham, and sometimes things happen by chance. "

He was engaging in a verbal joust with the Bat. He would not let go until he knew.

"As Mr. Palmer said, it's a common name. "

"Are you skirting the issue, Mr. Wayne? "

"I'm simply stating a fact. I don't know every person in Gotham. "

Clark saw out of the corner of his eye the look that Ollie and Dinah, and Ted and Ray, exchanged. League members were watching the exchange, except for Lois, who didn't understand the connection between them. He could handle Lois with the behavioral discrepancy that would follow.

"Are you anti-Superman, Mr. Wayne? "

The Kryptonian heard Bruce's heartbeat clearly speed up. Bruce's eyes were no longer deceiving him. He could see the panic. Bruce couldn't be more guilty.

"Clark! What's the matter with you? "

He heard the knuckles of his hands crack as he clenched his fists. The container was Bruce's. The shipment was Bruce's. For six years. Clark felt the blood pounding at his temples, the sounds around him were distant, and that vise-like feeling in his chest hurt.

"Forgive my colleague, I think the champagne went to his head. "

Bruce had a look of blame. Clark had a look that spoke volumes about his anger.

"I guess Bruce Wayne doesn't have all the answers after all. I'm going to get some air. Gentlemen. "

Clark didn't wait for a return. He headed for the exit, hearing the hurried footsteps of a high-heeled Lois behind him.

"What in God's name, Clark, are you doing talking to Bruce Wayne like that? "

"You're probably right, the alcohol has gone to my head. "

He didn't look at her as he walked out the door of the museum.

Bruce was reluctant to go to this party. He didn't know why he had finally agreed. Maybe it was because Alfred or Dick or Oliver insisted that it was fun to run into each other in civilian clothes. It was certainly not this last argument that had made him leave. He had told himself that the cause was worthwhile. So he had prepared himself and Alfred had dropped him off. He hadn't suspected for a second, as he walked through the doors, that he would see Clark.

Clark Kent, in a beautiful three-piece suit that made him look elegant. Very elegant indeed. Bruce had not been insensitive to this, nor to the curator's approach when she had come to greet him. Seeing this woman fall under Clark's spell had left a bitter taste in his mouth, very bitter.

Then Ted had come to talk to him. Bruce took the opportunity to talk a little about Tim and his knowledge, asking the expert for his opinion, who seemed more than happy to have a fan. He would have liked to brag to his best friend Michael Carter, aka Booster Gold, but Carter was not in America. The two men were about to agree on a version when they were interrupted by Lois. Bruce often thought to himself that he didn't like this woman, although he respected her work.

It was then that he noticed Clark's behavior. Closed, tense, overly thoughtful. Bruce had noticed right away that something was wrong, but he had no way of knowing. He had wondered if it had something to do with the woman he was with, or his boss, or some other reason.

Clark finally glared at him and Bruce had confirmation when he downed his cup that something was wrong. That he was thinking about something that was bothering him, and the Bat wondered if it was due to his bad nights again. Then Ray arrived and Bruce had to turn his attention back to what was going on. He didn't have much time to get involved in the conversation when Oliver and Dinah joined them.

Bruce didn't like the situation. Too many League members were together in public. Atom, Blue Beetle, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Superman and Batman. Only Lois didn't know what was going on implicitly. The situation amused the archer greatly.

The Gotham City billionaire was about to leave when their investigation came up. Maybe it was because of this. Bruce cocked his head. He regretted it. He didn't know what their investigation was about, but Clark had traced it back to the name Jason Kane. The name under which he'd foolishly rented a container at Gotham Harbor shortly after Jay's death and which had been broken into a few weeks before.

He saw the look on Clark's face change. Damn. If he'd managed to keep his emotions in check, Clark must have heard his heartbeat. The two men stared at each other, the tension rising between them. Bruce knew he was going to be exposed. If he learned the contents...

Clark snapped back without trying to hide. Bruce was good at dodging questions, and he did so brilliantly. The reporter had nothing to back it up and didn't try to go any further. Then he asked a question that made him realize his mistake. Clark knew. Clark knew that Bruce had had kryptonite in his possession. He knew in that moment that he had screwed up.

A that moment, Clark was trying to contain his anger. Bruce didn't know how to react and even when Clark left, he felt bad. Really bad. Seeing that hateful look on his face had more than hurt him. What had he just done? He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned his head to Oliver.

"Bruce, what just happened? "

Bruce looked at the exit, then at Oliver. Did he have to catch up with Clark? Apologize? Explain it to him? He didn't want to let him go. He felt that if he didn't explain now, things would get worse.

"Bruce? "

Oliver insisted. The man was looking for an answer to make, when a shrill sound of a microphone being tapped was heard. Lois came back to them as the museum curator began her speech.

Bruce didn't listen to a word. All he wanted to do was get out and join Clark. But the two men were not supposed to know each other. He glanced regularly at the door, but never saw Clark come back through. A nudge from the Green Arrow made him pull out his checkbook and he filled it out automatically. He had to admit, he was upset. More than upset. Clark must have thought that Bruce had been playing him or using him all along. But what a jerk he had been!

He turned his head toward the exit again, just as men in black and hoods entered the museum, automatic weapons in hand. Bruce reacted faster than he thought he could. He put Lois and Oliver down just as one of the men fired into the ceiling:

"Down ! Face down! The first one who moves, I shoot! "

The men spread out across the room and held them at gunpoint, while two others pulled out canvas bags:

"Jewelry, phones, cash, and hurry! "

Bruce glanced at Oliver, who was trying to move slowly to reach his JL communicator. Clark couldn't be far away. He didn't normally need to make a call. Until Bruce remembered the reasons for Clark's departure. Maybe he was long gone after all.

Dinah grabbed her husband's communicator and activated it. She did the same with hers and Bruce had no doubt that Ted and Ray would try to do the same. If the men came across this device, their identities would be exposed. They couldn't take that risk. Clark had to act quickly.

Bruce looked around for the exits. He didn't know much about the place, but the main entrance was closed and well guarded. But the other galleries of the museum must have had another exit. He thought fast, wondering which people he would have to neutralize. That would mean revealing himself to the others, and thus exposing his double identity.

His thinking stopped when more shots were fired and people screamed. Then there was another round of gunfire, which once again plunged the room into silence. The men who were picking up the objects did not hurry any further. They did not seem to be concerned about the time they were taking. Bruce thought it was suspicious.

The minutes were long. Too long. The men were almost upon them. Bruce was thinking fast, wishing he had a gadget to distract them. As he imagined taking the risk of running and reaching a fire extinguisher, one of the men at the door shouted:

"Let's get out of here!

The men began to gather toward another hallway when a yellow lightning bolt shot through the room in a violent rush of air, incapacitating the men with its legendary speed. He gathered them up and tied them up, before stopping to look at the people in the room, and leaving immediately after. The Flash just saved them.

Everyone in the room began to get up, some going straight to their belongings. Bruce got up with his colleagues and checked on Lois, who was already thinking about her exclusivity. The Bat then turned to his colleagues, and Ted said out loud what everyone else was thinking:

_Where's Superman?

PS : If you don't remember this story of container theft, I invite you to reread chapter 3! ;)