Chapter 5

Metropolis; May 2nd, 06:02 EST

Clark sat at the table staring at his laptop, pouring over everything he could find on Bruno Mannheim. He knew that he was a dangerous leader of Intergang, but he'd been flying under the radar lately, making him that much harder to find.

He had done some previous research into the criminal mastermind, but it had been put on hold with more pressing matters…like Lex Luthor and Steppenwolf. Now, though, Bruno Mannheim was a priority that he couldn't ignore, knowing that he was deliberately causing trouble in Metropolis.

Alfred's phone call had been unexpected, but he was thankful for the heads-up. Knowing that Luthor was out there still stirring up trouble was unsettling, to say the least. Knowing that he was targeting him as well as Metropolis through Bruno Mannheim was even more so.

His wedding was coming up soon. He couldn't afford to be tied up with Luthor and Bruno right now. His wedding to Lois had to be first and foremost. At the same time, he couldn't let Bruno and Intergang run rampant with whatever he and Luthor had cooked up…and he knew that it could be on the same big scale as Doomsday. That was an encounter he did not want to revisit.

He rubbed his forehead as he reached for his coffee cup to find it cold. He'd been up most of the night, looking for any clues that might give him an idea about where they might strike. Unfortunately, nothing was jumping out at him just yet.

He was going to have to contact a couple of his confidential informants to see what they might have heard recently on the streets. Hopefully, they would be able to provide the information that he hadn't been able to find during the night-long search.

"Hey," Lois sleepily greeted him as she entered the kitchen. She made her way to him, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders. "You never came to bed last night. Is everything alright?"

Cark sighed heavily as he sat back in his chair, crossing his arms against his chest as he stared at his laptop as if willing it to give up the information he needed. "Just working on something important."

Lois could tell it was something more than that, causing her to sit down in the chair next to him. "What is it?"

"It's Bruno Mannheim," he revealed with a frown. "I received a call from Alfred late last night. He intercepted a call between Lex Luthor and Bruno. Alfred was only able to get a part of the message, but Luthor is trying to cause trouble in Metropolis for me."

Lois felt ill with the information. Wasn't it bad enough that Luthor had created Doomsday to take Superman's life? The thought of Luthor coming after Clark again was too much for her to deal with, especially with their wedding coming up.

Her anger spiked through her like a hot, sharp blade with the thought of Luthor interfering in their lives again. "I thought Bruce and the others were trying to find Luthor?" she questioned him. "Haven't they been able to track his location yet?"

"They've been looking for him ever since Bruce learned of his escape," he confirmed. "Arthur and Mera are in the South of France looking for him now along with Barry."

Lois got up from her chair, deciding that a strong cup of coffee was in order. "He can't be that hard to find," she groused as she made another pot of coffee. "I'm sure he's living in the lap of luxury. I can't imagine Lex slumming it someplace that's decaying and dilapidated."

"They're looking everywhere, Lo," he assured her, getting up to start breakfast. He wanted to get to the office and see what he could find out there before checking in with his informants. "Barry was there, but he had to return to Central City for work. He's going to head back out when he gets a chance."

"I know," she muttered with a sigh. "I just can't go through losing you again. It nearly destroyed me when you died."

"I know," he softly said, pulling her into his arms and holding her close. "I promise I won't leave you again."

Lois chuckled despite herself; the sound muffled against the soft cotton of his t-shirt. "You can't possibly promise something like that," she reminded him, tightening her hold on him as she inhaled deeply. She loved how he smelled—fresh and clean and yet masculine like bergamot and leather.

"I can because I'm Superman," he teased, leaning down to kiss the top of her head.

"You know that doesn't count," she insisted, swatting his shoulder as she pulled away from him.

"It should count for something," he decided as he took the frying pan from the cupboard.

"Of course, it does," she assured him, patting his back. "Now, how are we going to find out what Bruno Mannheim is up to?"

"We aren't doing anything," he stated. "I will find out what is going on. You just focus on the article that you're working on and our upcoming wedding."

"You know I can take care of myself," she insisted.

Clark snorted in amusement as he started breakfast. "Right," he replied, retrieving the eggs from the refrigerator. "You have been a little better about staying out of trouble lately. I'll give you that."

"Wow…thanks," she sarcastically responded with a frown, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Let's just say that I'd feel better if you just stayed at the Daily Planet all day instead of trying to find the answers yourself, but then you wouldn't be the woman I love," he told her.

"Clark, how can I do that?" she demanded to know. "How can I follow a lead on a story from the confines of my desk?"

"I don't know, but there has to be a way."

"You're crazy if you think that I'd miss an opportunity to follow up on a lead," she told him.

Clark chuckled as he kissed her temple. "I wouldn't want to change you in any way, Lo," he swore to her. "I love you just the way you are."

"I'm glad because I don't want to change a thing," she ultimately decided. "Now, what are we going to do about Bruno and Luthor?"

Lake House; May 2nd, 12:19 EST

Alfred looked through the magnification glasses he was wearing as he continued the tedious job that he was working at. Bruce was constantly coming up with ideas and gadgets that could aid him in his fight against crime in Gotham City and now the world. It kept Alfred busy, but he had to admit that some of these notions came from his brain at times.

He waved the thin wisps of smoke out of his way from his soldering, inspecting his handiwork before moving on to the next step in the process. The steady beep of an alarm sounded, altering him to the fact that he had a visitor. He was hardly apprehensive about the unexpected guest. He had a feeling he knew exactly who was darkening the door of the Batcave.

Pushing his magnification glasses up onto his forehead, Alfred set aside his soldering gun before wiping his hands on a nearby cloth. Tossing the cloth onto the workstation, he turned in time to greet his speedy visitor who appeared before him in the blink of an eyelash.

"Mister Allen," Alfred greeted him with a smile. "I had a feeling you'd popping in this evening."

"Bruce told you?" he asked.

"He indicated there was a possibility," he confessed. "I prepared for your arrival just in case."

"Alfred," Barry replied with a huge grin. "You are the best ever."

"I've been told," he lightly said with a knowing smirk as he handed the speedster a tray of sandwiches.

"I'm going to recommend Bruce give you a raise," Barry told him in between bites of a sandwich as he reached for another one with his free hand.

"I assure you Master Bruce pays me quite handsomely," Alfred promised him, reaching for a small device. "I believe you are here for this."

"Oh…right," he managed to say with his mouth full. "I saw the platter of sandwiches and forgot why I came here in the first place."

"Mister Stone and Master Bruce want you to try out the new communication device they created," Alfred informed him as he handed him the small earpiece.

"Cool," he murmured as he went for his third sandwich. "It's so small."

"Don't lose it," Alfred warned him. "That's our prototype."

"So, I get to be the guinea pig?" he asked, taken aback by the revelation. "I'm honored."

"I believe that Master Bruce has you heading back to the South of France if I'm not mistaken."

"Heading there after here," he confirmed. "Just going to fuel up before leaving."

"Take your time," he replied. "I'd hate for you to run out of gas over the Atlantic."

"That makes two of us," Barry said with a visible grimace. "Are Arthur and Mera still there?"

"They are," he stated as he slipped his magnification goggles back down. "They have yet to locate Lex Luthor. Your help could prove beneficial. I believe Mister Curry is beginning to lose his patience with the search."

Barry frowned as he thought about it. "I don't know if I can be that helpful," he told him. "He's not very patient with me as it is sometimes without adding Luthor to the mix."

"Perhaps Miss Mera will be a calming mediator for you," Alfred suggested.

"I can only hope," he groused.

"Perhaps Mister Curry will be in a good mood."

"Do you think I can be that lucky?" Barry asked, hoping for the best.

South of France; May 2nd, 18:31 EST

"This is pointless!" Arthur exclaimed with a growl, slamming his fist through a wall in overt frustration. "We're never going to find Luthor at this rate."

Mera cast a glance at him, her brow creased as her hands found her hips. "I have to agree," she calmly replied, but sharing his aggravation. "We're not getting anywhere with this search. I think we should just give up until we get more information."

"I'll contact Bruce," he stated, his body tense with irritation. "Maybe he's uncovered something that we can use to help us."

It had been a long day filled with nothing but dead ends and no results. Some thought they had seen Lex Luthor but couldn't be sure. They were both tired, hungry, and still filled with unresolved tension. He had no idea why she was mad at him. Meanwhile, she had no idea how he could be so clueless, uncertain if he had changed his mind about her. Problem was that neither of them was willing to bring up the subject, leading to more annoyance on both of their parts.

"Look, it's late and I'm starving," she told him. "Let's go find something to eat. I just want to get back to our hotel room so I can soak in the bathtub for a while."

"We should look for a new hotel room," Arthur told her, trying to rein in his tumultuous emotions that roiled inside of him. "We'll sleep better if we each have a bed of our own."

"I guess if that's what you want," she bit out, marching past him.

Arthur grabbed her arm as she passed by, pulling her to a stop with a frown. "What do mean if that's what I want?" he questioned her. "I thought you'd want your own bed."

Mera's eyes narrowed as she looked down at his hand on her arm. He released his hold on her, taking a step back. "You obviously don't want to pursue a relationship so if you want separate rooms or separate beds, that's fine with me," she stated, chin lifted in defiance.

"A relationship?" he repeated. "Is that why you're mad at me?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" she demanded to know. "You haven't once tried to kiss me since that first kiss. What am I supposed to think?"

Arthur shook his head, stunned relief spilling out of him in the form of a laugh that only served to further infuriate her. She began to storm away, forcing Arthur to jog to catch up with her. "Wait a minute," he said. "Can't we talk about this?"

"Not if you're going to laugh at me," she snapped.

"I wasn't laughing at you," he tried to tell her. "I was laughing because I was relieved that that was the reason you were mad at me."

Mera crossed her arms as she glared at him, ready to take him down right here if she had to. He was just so infuriating all the time. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Without a second thought, Arthur grabbed her by the upper arms, crushing his lips against hers. He kissed her with all the pent-up feelings that he'd been harboring for her, all of the desire that he held for her. The kiss grew more passionate, his heart racing as she begins to return his desire.

Mera gasped sharply as her eyes widen in shock, jerking back and startling Arthur. "What?" he asked, looking down to find blood dripping onto his hand still grasping her arm. There was a spear sticking out of her shoulder.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Arthur looked past Mera to find Black Manta and five of his henchmen standing several feet away from them. "You!" Arthur spat out, moving to stand in front of Mera who was wincing in pain. "What are you doing here?"

"Let's just say that a bald little bird told me where I could find you," Black Manta revealed. "Take them alive!"

Black Manta stayed back, allowing his henchmen to take down his prey. He was more than content to take Aquaman alive. He was looking forward to thoroughly torturing Aquaman until he grew tired of it and finally decided to end his life. It would be sweet revenge in every way.

Aquaman didn't wait for the henchmen to reach them, meeting them before they could get close to Mera who was leaning against a brick wall. He leaned over and slammed his shoulder into the first henchman, picking him up and throwing him into the second and third one.

He turned his attention to the fourth and fifth, grabbing a spear that was fired at him right out of the air. With a growl of fury, he broke it in half and threw it down as he stalked straight towards them. The first and second henchmen jumped him from behind, but they didn't slow him down one bit.

Aquaman reached behind him and threw the two men over his shoulder and into the two others before him. Fury flowed hotly through his veins as he pulled a light pole out of the ground, using it as if it was a battering ram. He ran straight at the henchmen, slamming the pole into them and effectively taking them out of the fight.

With a sneer on his lips, Arthur turned to face off against Black Manta. "Too afraid to face me yourself that you need to send your henchmen instead?"

"Oh no," Black Manta rasped. "I'm just biding my time until you're finally mine. I'm going to cause you unimaginable pain. You'll beg me to take your life and I'll ignore your pleas."

Arthur snorted derisively as he took a step closer to him. "I think you're suffering from delusions," he ground out. "I'm going to make you wish you'd never been born."

"You can…or you can take care of your girlfriend," Black Manta stated. "Take your pick—her or me."

Arthur glanced back over his shoulder at Mera who was holding her shoulder, blood running down her arm. He had to get her taken care of before she bled to death. Turning back around, he found Black Manta gone.

"What happened?" Batty asked, suddenly showing up beside Mera. "Are you alright?"

"I think I'll live," she managed to reply.

"We need to get her back to the hotel," he told Barry. "If we don't stop that bleeding soon, she's going to be in real trouble."

Barry scooped her up into his arms without a second thought. "Point me in the right direction and I'll get her there."

"Barry," Arthur growled, not liking the sight of Mera in his arms.

"I'll tell you," Mera assured him. "Just go."

"Meet you there," Barry told him, disappearing in a flash.

Arthur looked around, finding himself all alone. He bent down, picking up Black Manta's spear that was coated in Mera's blood. It made his own blood boil with rage. When he got his hands on him, there wasn't going to be anything left…just like Black Manta's father.

Paris, France; May 2nd, 19:17 EST

Bruce frowned as he picked up a beautiful, antique pot that looked as if it had come from Greece…ancient Greece to be exact. Could he be holding a pot that was thousands of years old? It was rather exciting to think about. Maybe it had been around during the time of Thales, Greece's first philosopher.

Had she bought it with her when she left her island home?

His jaw unconsciously clenched as he thought about her former life. He quickly reached for the bubble wrap, wanting to protect it during the journey home. Diana walked in at that moment, bringing a couple of glasses of wine. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that," she told him as she set his glass down on the end table next to him. "It's a fake."

Bruce looked up sharply, feeling a sense of relief for reasons he didn't want to think about. "It's a fake?" he questioned her, glancing back down at the pot in his hands. "It looks so authentic."

"It's a very good replica, but it's not thousands of years old," she informed him, taking the pot from him to run her fingers over the side of it. "The original is still on Themyscira in my mother's throne room."

"We should still wrap it up to protect it," he suggested, reaching for his glass of wine.

"I guess you're right," she decided, staring at the pot in her hands as thoughts of her home rose in her mind. She drew a deep breath, releasing it slowly to calm herself. "I bought it because it reminded me of my home. Silly, right?"

"Not at all," he told her, gently taking it from her hands to study it once more. "It's beautiful. I can understand wanting a piece of your home with you. There's a certain sense of comfort with having something like this with you."

"It is comforting at times," she agreed, sitting down on the floor beside some empty boxes.

Bruce sat down across from her on the floor, crossing his legs before him as he leaned his back against the wall. "What is Themyscira like?" he asked.

Diana's eyes lit up with the mention of her island home. "It's truly paradise," she wistfully said. "It's beauty is beyond compare. I would love to take you there, but I can't return home. I've never been able to find it."

"I can't believe that you haven't been able to find Themyscira after all of these years," he replied with a shake of his head, his expression sympathetic. "There has to be a way to locate it."

"If there is, I don't know what it could be," Diana said, sadness lacing her voice. "The island is magically protected from the outside world. It's shielded so that no one can find it…not even me."

"That isn't fair," he angrily bit out. "That's your home. You left to save the world. It's not right that you should be punished for doing the right thing. It's too high of a price to pay."

She smiled softly at him, appreciating his empathy. "It was a price I was willing to pay."

He took a drink of his wine as he contemplated her situation. "Once we get the League officially up and running, I'm going to see what I can do to help you find Themyscira."

"Bruce, it can't be done," she reminded him. "I've tried many times for the last hundred years."

"You don't have my technology," he told her, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"What technology?"

"I have my own satellite in outer space," he revealed. "With Victor's help, we should be able to triangulate the area."

"Even if we found the exact location, it's still protected by magic," she pointed out, staring into her wine glass as memories of her past attempts and failures paraded through her mind. "Even I can't get through that magical barrier."

"There has to be a way and we're not going to give up until we find it," he insisted. "Steve Trevor managed to find the island. We will too."

"Your optimism almost gives me hope."

He reached over to take her hand in his. "I want you to have hope," he told her, releasing his hold on her hand. "You give me hope for a better world. I want to give you that same hope for finding your home. We'll try together."

Diana gazed at him, her head tilting slightly to the side in curiosity. "I know why I left my home, but why did you leave yours?" she asked. "You left Wayne Manor to fade away. What made you do that?"

He sighed as he finished wrapping the pot, placing it in one of the boxes next to him. "I couldn't bear to live there any longer after my parents were murdered," he explained. He didn't really want to travel down this road, but he knew that he'd do anything for her. "When I turned eighteen, I didn't want to have anything to do with the manor, so I moved to my family's lake house. I was willing to let it decompose right back into the land that it sat on so I wouldn't have to deal with it or the memories that it held."

Diana couldn't help but notice how difficult it was for him to talk about his past, hoping that she wasn't bringing up painful memories for him. She was honored that he felt comfortable talking to her about it. "What suddenly changed your mind about it?"

He lifted his gaze to meet hers, the faintest of smiles touching his lips. "You," he softly confessed.

"Me?"

He slowly nodded his head, venturing into territory that typically made him want to run away. "Well, you and Clark…you both gave me hope again. You helped renew my faith that had died a long time ago. You helped me to see that there were still good people in this world and that I still had something worth fighting for. That's when I realized that the manor could have a new purpose…a new kind of family to occupy it."

She smiled softly at him. "I think your parents would agree," she decided. "They'd be pleased with your choice…with all that you've done with your life."

It was Bruce's turn to gaze curiously at her. "What makes you think that?" he asked. "You've never met my parents."

"No, but I know you," she replied. "You're a good man, Bruce. You have a kind heart that's overflowing with so much compassion. You're brave and selfless. You've dedicated yourself to a life of service to others so that no one else has to suffer what you did. I believe your parents and Alfred share the credit for shaping who you are and many of your beliefs. You carry on the legacy of your parents."

Bruce snorted softly in amusement as he reached for more bubble wrap. "You make me sound like a saint," he told her, gazing intently at her. He needed her to know the truth about him no matter the outcome. "I'm afraid I'm far from it, Diana. I'm not a war hero and I'm not a knight in shining armor. I'm a billionaire playboy who sleeps around and dons a cape at night to fight freaks dressed like scarecrows and clowns who are out to destroy my city."

"You think so little of yourself," she thoughtfully responded with a gentle tone that took him by surprise.

She should be repulsed by his lifestyle. Instead, she almost seemed intrigued by him in a way. "Some would say I think far too much of myself," he corrected her with a smirk.

"They don't know the real you," she pressed even further.

A pensive look came over his face as he thought about it. "I'm not sure many do know the real me," he replied, a smile breaking across his face as he attempted to interject some levity into the conversation but there was little amusement in it. "That's probably a good thing."

"No, it's not," she insisted. "You carry yourself with a mysterious air. It's like unraveling an enigma. Every time I peel back a layer, I discover something new about you."

He chuckled lightly in response, pausing to take a sip of his wine. "You better be careful," he warned her. "You peel back too much you might not like what you find."

"I don't know…I think you're worth the risk," she ventured, emboldened by the wine or their close proximity. She wasn't certain which at that moment…she wasn't sure she cared.

She could see his brown eyes darkening as he gazed at her, the simmering attraction between them causing the air to nearly crackle with the electricity they generated. She longed to kiss him, to feel the press of his masculine body against hers, and yet she feared letting someone into her heart again. Unfortunately, he'd already worked his way into her heart.

His penetrating gaze fell to her lips as he spoke. "I don't know," he advised her with a rasping tone, his pulse beginning to beat a little faster. "It could be a very dangerous mission."

The corner of her lips quirked in amusement. "I've faced some pretty dangerous things in my lifetime," she told him. "I'm not afraid."

"Maybe you should be," he murmured as he leaned in towards her.

"It's far too late for that," she whispered as her lips brushed against his in the barest of touches, her breath catching in her throat.

As if being pulled by an invisible, magnetic force that couldn't be broken, they both surge forward, their mouths connecting in a desperate kiss. Diana felt an ember sparking deep inside of her as they touched and kissed, drinking in as much of each other as possible at that moment. This was a feeling that she had long believed dead, but Bruce had brought it roaring back to life like an inferno with something as simple as a kiss.

He tilted his head, finding all of his defenses crumbling in the wake of her kiss. He had never wanted something so much as he wanted her at that moment as deep desire raced through him. His hand moved to the back of her head, keeping her where he wanted her as he nipped at her bottom lip.

Her hand rested on the nape of his neck, growing lightheaded with the taste of wine on his tongue. She could feel the passion smoldering just beneath the surface, barely held in check. She wanted him to unleash that passion on her, to feel every bit of the tempestuous storm brewing between them.

Her hand slipped down the side of his neck, her thumb caressing his jaw. She knew they needed to slow things down, but she wasn't sure she wanted to. It had taken a long time to get to this point. She feared turning back down now might cause him to withdraw into his shell once more. At the same time, moving too fast could do the same thing.

Thankfully, she didn't have to make the decision. They were interrupted by Bruce's cell phone. He pulled back, breathing unevenly as he gave her an apologetic look. He pulled out his cell phone as he got to his feet, answering the call.

"What?" he snapped, clearly irritated that they'd been interrupted. "No, it's alright. What's going on?"

Diana took a sip of her wine before returning to packing up the last of her things. She tried her best not to eavesdrop on Bruce's conversation, but it was difficult. It was clear that something had happened, something that had upset Bruce. It made her worried that Lex Luthor had struck again before they could capture him.

"Is everything alright now?" he asked, glancing at Diana out of the corner of his eye.

She was so incredibly beautiful. Kissing her was something that he'd wanted to do for so very long, but now that he had, he knew they were going to have to address the obvious attraction between them. Tonight, though, would not be the night. It would have to wait.

"Thanks," he replied. "Keep me posted. I'll check in with you tomorrow."

Diana got to her feet, making her way to Bruce. "What is it?"

Bruce slid his phone into his pocket, his fuming countenance giving her pause. "Arthur and Mera were attacked tonight by Black Manta," he revealed. "Mera was injured, but she'll be alright. Barry got there in time to help Arthur get her back to the hotel."

"Black Manta," she murmured, her eyebrows knitting in confusion. "You don't think Luthor had anything to do with it, do you?"

"I'm not ruling it out," he told her. "It's no coincidence that they're in the South of France looking for Luthor and Arthur's biggest nemesis just happens to show up there. Luthor knows we're looking for him."

Diana's mind wandered to Cheetah, wondering what had ever happened to Barbara. She'd always felt that she hadn't seen the last of her. She was going to show up when she least expected it. "Do you think Luthor is bringing in our enemies to take us down?"

"I wouldn't put it past him," he stated. "Look at the lengths he went to create Doomsday to eliminate Superman. Now that we've formed the Justice League, I do not doubt that Luthor is going to do everything in his power to try to counter us. He has Bruno Mannheim stirring up trouble in Metropolis for Clark and Black Manta coming after Arthur and Mera."

"We need to get back to Gotham," she said with an air of urgency as she taped up another box. "If we don't stop Luthor soon, there's no telling who else is going to be showing up."

Bruce watched her as she put some pictures in a box, wondering why this had to happen now. Things were starting to progress between them. They were finally reaching out to each other. They'd shared an intense kiss that couldn't be ignored. At the same time, if Luthor was rounding up villains to hunt them down, they were in real danger.

Thoughts of that letter he'd received about knowing his identity suddenly made his gut clench with dread. If someone knew his identity and was out there watching his every move, they would find out about Diana. He couldn't let that happen. He'd lost too much already in his life. He wasn't about to lose her too.

A/N: WHOO-HOO! What a kiss! Too bad they were interrupted.

UP NEXT: Will Bruce & Diana pick up where they left off? Mera is in trouble and Superman uncovers another player Luthor has brought in to thwart the Justice League. :)