Arriving back at the Mansion, Bruce received yet another shock to his already weary system.
That being, there was no mansion to return to. As they pulled up to the gates they could all see it clearly. Flames licked the cloudy sky in the gutted out remains of what was once stately Wayne Manor. So it was Bruce pulled over the limo and stepped, walking up to the gates and grasping the iron bars, not wanting it to be true... but knowing it was. There was no denying it.
And there, the bomber's signature.
One of the statues that adorned the manor had been painted, her face a garish white, her lips bright red in a sickly, twisted joke of a smile. Signature enough for this particular madman.
Behind him, he could dimly sense the others also stepping out of the limo, watching in horror, shock, denial, grief. None of them could know what he was going through. The mansion had been his home since as far back as he could remember, and been in his family for generations before that. And now... now it was gone. All gone. Burnt to the ground and scattered to the winds like ashes by a psychotic lunatic.
And all because Batman was no where to be found.
Bruce set his face in a hard expression, his eyes narrow as he stepped back into the limo, not speaking a word. Everyone piled into the back, strapping themselves up. And so they took off. No one dared ask Bruce where they were going. No one dared talk to him at all.
Clark had been right, he realized. Powers or not, gear or not, it was time to stand up to the bad guys. But they needed every man they could get to do it now. Back to Metropolis then, to meet up with Clark and hope his plan hadn't gotten him killed already. As for the Lantern.
There was no way to contact him. And therefore nothing they could do.
John was actually much closer than they may have realized. He'd heard about the chaos in Metropolis, and he'd seen Sinestro had decided to join in the fun and head off to join Dark Seid's rapidly growing number of lieutenants. And after what'd happened, he wanted revenge.
But how to get it? He was helpless. No power ring and, unfortunately, he probably lacked the power to wield one at the moment anyway. No faith in himself. Not after losing Shayera -and- Kat. And all of his Green Lantern friends.
But he had to do something. He wasn't about to sit around and do nothing.
The back of the limo had been sealed off from the front. Bruce hadn't wanted to talk to anyone, and after what had happened, no one could blame him. The home had been important to him, and to see it gone. Well, none of them could imagine the pain he was in.
Except Diana.
She alone was riding up in the front in the passenger's side seat, right next to Bruce. Silently, she expressed her sympathy with him. She'd lost her home too, she said with her eyes and her body language.
Its not the same, his cold gaze told her.
Sighing, she leaning back in the chair, staring out at the flashing lights of the highway and the dark clouds overhead. It was like nighttime. Actually by now it probably was nighttime. Metropolis would be waste in a short while unless the Justice League could stop Dark Seid. But how? They were powerless and helpless. They had nothing and no way of combating legions of super villains.
But they had each other now. Surely that would count for something... wouldn't it?
Clark was waiting for them when they reached his apartment which was, curiously enough, untouched by some of the mayhem that was affecting Metropolis. Of course, if there was no Superman, why trouble themselves with one lowly reporter for the Daily Planet?
The rest of the League piled in, Clark hanging up the phone as they made themselves comfy in his living room.
"Finally managed to contact John," said Clark. "He's on his way here now. But he's shook up bad. Something about the Lanterns all being dead."
"Things must have hit him harder than most," remarked Bruce. He glanced around at the assembled League. It wasn't impressive, but it was all they had. "Now that we're all here, why don't you give us the outline of your plan."
The former Man of Steel nodded, reaching down to a bag he'd left on the floor and placing it on the coffee table in the center of the room, sliding it open and revealing its contents. Rocks. But rocks carrying an eerie emerald-green glow that all those present recognized instantly.
Kryptonite. A good sized chunk of it too.
"This is your plan?" asked Wally in total confusion. "Make yourself even worse off?"
Clark smirked, reaching down and picking up the Kryptonite... and didn't bat an eye. "I realized there are a few perks to being normal," he replied.
"You plan to exploit their weaknesses," said Hawkgirl, catching on.
"Truthfully, you inspired it," he replied lightly, though she caught the double-edge behind his words.
"Okay, Kryptonite will take care of Jax-Ur and Mala," replied Bruce, playing devil's advocate. "Maybe. What about the others? We've already seen Sinestro and Grodd joined the raiding. Plus Kalibak, the Furies, and about half a dozen of your more infamous foes."
"Each one with a weak point somewhere in their armor," replied Clark. "The point is we exploit it. If we move fast, if we stay organized, and maybe with a little luck we can pull this off."
"Where did the Kryptonite come from?" asked J'onn suddenly. It'd been the first thing he'd said since he'd been bust out of Arkham.
"What?"
"The Kryptonite. Where did it come from?" asked J'onn again, more insistently.
"Lex Luthor, what's it matter?" said Clark.
"But before that. Kryptonite originated on your homeworld, didn't it?" asked J'onn. Clark frowned, peering down at the rock in his hand.
"I... yes, that's true. Why?"
"If you have never been Superman... If you have not come from Krypton... why is there kryptonite here?" he asked, pointing at the glowing green rock in Clark's hands. Everyone's attention was focused on him now. "For that matter, Wayne Manor. It was destroyed. Why? If Batman has never existed, who would seek to end the life of Bruce Wayne? Or destroy his home, for that matter?"
"Maybe its just coincidence," said Wally, uncertainly.
"I don't believe in coincidence," stated Bruce.
"John mentioned a lot of his old friends were attacked. The Green Lanterns. But it got all weird after that, something about them being human."
"This puzzle is making less and less sense with each piece we add," remarked Bruce, rubbing his temples. Again, that sense of déjà vu. So close... so very, very close... and it still eluded him.
"For now though, we have to act," said Clark, picking up a largish chunk of kryptonite and placing it in a small lead box he'd purchased on his way back to the apartment. Well, stolen really, but with all the rioting nobody would notice its absence. Most crooks were after tv's and the like. He'd return it later, but for now it was needed. Keep their surprise just that until it could be sprung.
"I'm with you big guy," said Wally.
"As am I," stated J'onn.
"Me too," added Shayera.
"And I," intoned Diana.
Clark glanced over at Bruce, still standing there. Thinking. "Bruce? We could really use you down there. You know better than anyone how to fight without powers."
"No," he replied suddenly. "Someone should stay behind to tell John what's going on. Besides..." he started to say, then hesitated.
"Batman?" asked Diana hesitantly.
"I'm close... I. I dunno. Its like I've almost found the missing piece. Its up in here somewhere," he said, tapping the side of his head. "I'm just not sure where."
"Well hurry up and find it," said Clark, shouldering a pack carrying the kryptonite and some other essentials. "You know where to find us."
"Yeah, in the thick of battle," added Shayera with a smirk.
Bruce nodded absent-mindedly as the League slipped out of the apartment. And he turned his thoughts back to his dilemma. What was his mind hiding from him? Something he'd forgotten? He furrowed his brow, searching his memories. There had to be something.
Idly, he reached over to pick a book to pass his time. Clark's personal library wasn't very extensive, but it did have a number of good finds. Mostly of a philosophical nature. Figures. Even the 'big blue boy scout', as he was sometimes known, had times when he called his virtues into question. He picked up a copy of 'The Art of War' and idly thumbed through its pages...
So it was that most of the League found themselves heading towards the center of Metropolis, armed with a variety of makeshift weapons and tools, hoping to take on a virtual legion of super villains and survive. Suicide, some would say (and had said, repeatedly). But they weren't heroes for nothing.
Alright, thought Clark. One at a time. They could do this.
Explaining his plan to the others, the League split up and hid down alleyways of the abandoned street, seemingly leaving Clark all by his lonesome. This was part one of the plan. Now, if only...
... as if on cue, Mala and Jax-Ur whizzed through the air, blasting away at buildings with their heat-ray vision.
"Jax-Ur!" shouted Clark. "Mala!"
Startled that a lowly human had dared to call out their names, the two Kryptonian criminals paused in their flight, glaring down at Clark. He tensed, preparing to run or dodge aside. After all, they were still too far away for the Kryptonite to work. They might just try to heat-blast him out of existence.
"Get down here and fight me you lousy bastards!" he shouted, egging them on. He could see them hesitate, and he waited... still tense...
They dove.
Silently thanking God for small mercies, Clark braced himself, stepping backwards fearfully. He half expected them to plow straight into him, but thankfully they stopped, dropping into a close hover only inches away. They were curious about him. Surprised why a mere human in a blue business suit had dared to stand up to such empowered, armored Kryptonians.
They were about to find out.
"Here's a piece of home for you!" he shouted, opening the box and letting its contents be visible to them both. Bright green light illuminated the area, and both Mala and Jax-Ur cried out in pain. Clark kept the Kryptonite on them, rendering them immobile. The rest of the League sprang into action, grabbing ropes and hauling Mala off to a nearby lamp post, tying her securely to it. Clark broke off a chunk of the Kryptonite rock, tossing it to Shayera. She jammed it into a crack in the ground right beside Mala. The white-haired bitch wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
Jax-Ur they left in the street, tied up with a piece of kryptonite resting beneath him. Then all of them hid. This next part would be tricky. But it would hopefully be very rewarding.
If it didn't get them all killed.
John Stewart felt like a wreck when he finally arrived at Clark's apartment. It hadn't been easy finding it. And he'd had to pass through the destruction of Metropolis to get to it. He'd seen destruction everywhere. People trapped, hurt, dying. At one time he'd stopped to offer a hand to help. Or even a green power ring. But now he had nothing. No ring, and no faith in himself. He'd driven past, ignoring their pleas for help.
He felt... broken inside.
So it was he stumbled up the stairs to Clark's apartment to meet the other Leaguers. He didn't even know why he bothered. He'd heard Clark. They were all helpless, all powerless. It was pointless. So why we he even bothering?
Because he owed Kat's spirit revenge.
John stumbled in, closing the door behind him. No one around. Then he heard something from the kitchen, realized someone must be in there. He made his way inside. Bruce was there, clutching a book in his hands... and shaking awful badly.
"Bruce?" he asked hesitantly. "You alright?"
"I know now," he half-whispered, not even talking to John. Hadn't even noticed John, likely. "I understand. It all makes sense now."
He turned, spotted John, and he almost had a smile on his face. Seeing the normally composed Bruce Wayne with a smile on his face nearly made John stumble backwards in fear. Bruce smirked then, and held up the book triumphantly. The title was 'The Art of War.'
"I have the answer!"
Author's Notes:
Poor Bruce. And poor Wayne Manor, for that matter. I think we all know who blew it up. Who else likes to put a smile on a stone statue's face. Heck, he even did it to fish once. Sorry this chapter was short but it was mostly filler before the really big action begins. And to provide little insights into Bruce, John, and Clark. At last, his master plan is revealed. Take out the villains the way the Hawkmen did the League. Think it'll work? And now J'onn and Bruce are starting to put things together. Bruce -does- have the answer to all of this. 'A Little Piece of Home' is actually the first Superman episode to introduce us to Kryptonite. I couldn't resist the little pun-joke-reference. Batman's finally figured it out, eh? Well, as some of you have already figured out, he's done this before. Next chapter, explanations and some more kick-ass battles to be fought. It ain't over until the fat lady sings.
Dreamcatcher89: 'Hawk and Dove' is an episode about the JLU new members Hawk and Dove. Twins with different viewpoints. I've yet to receive any word regarding lovable Shayera, and that suggests to me perhaps she isn't coming back for a few episodes. Maybe not even until season finale. Believe me, I'm disappointed too. Hope that helps.
Todd fan: Stuck him in a room with Lobo and X23, I think. Vicious creatures, lawyers. Enjoy 'Starcrossed,' best episode to date. Hope also once done you re-read my story from a new viewpoint and appreciate all the little references I've made.
Knight's Shadow: Actually I wanted to involve them (I have a thing for Kara, if that wasn't blatantly obvious from my disclaimer) but this story focuses on the seven prime JL team. And for good reason, as you'll soon see. Very soon. Next chapter soon, no less.
Kaliann: Test? What, that Highfather decided to give them just to be a pain? No. Its someone very mean, doing very mean things to them. As for who and why, next chapter, I promise. Enjoy.
Momentum: Bane, yeah. I often thought to myself, they can bring in plenty of Supes villains to face the Justice League (though probably not one at a time), but who among Bats crew could actually provide a challenge? Bane seems like a perfect League contender with them pumped up muscles of his.
Anonymous but Impressed: In a sense, yes the mastermind -is- immensely powerful and very evil, with a severe grudge against the League. In another sense, they're a wimp and a loser and a rent-a-cop could take them out. You just think about that. Oh, and keep guessing. Even if guesses are wrong I do enjoy hearing them. Gives me... evil... ideas. And yes I'm aware of the lack of continuity with the kryptonite and superman and everything. Believe me, there is a method to my madness.
Girl-Interrupted33: I hear similar comments concerning my big XME works. Oh, and thank you for calling me crazy, but I prefer the term weird. Weird is good. Normal is boring. They will, I tend to wrap up stories with nice happy endings (not for bad guys of course) so you'll see.
DS: Oh yeah, very good friendship. Almost like siblings, but better than siblings (I have siblings and hate them). Don't worry I have a very nice reunion for John and Shayera all prepped, hope you enjoy it when it rolls around, Dragon Starz.
Ray1: Wrong on both accounts, though this is definitely Joker-level twisted stuff going on. And that's saying something. And yeah, Clark surprised Luthor but the biggest surprise is coming up. Soon you'll have an idea of what Batman felt like at the very end of this chapter.
Cantoris: Ah, figured it out, did you? Yup, such is exactly the case. That part of the story was very much inspired by Smallville's 'Leech', where he used a similar trick against someone who stole both his powers and his weaknesses. Poor bastard never knew what hit him.
Desert Hawk: Well I'm glad I managed to write something you like. Hope you keep reading this and my other stories. I couldn't help but notice you and I have the same couples in our profiles. Great minds must think alike, ne?
Angelic Temptress: Of course she does. There is a positive side to what she did in 'Starcrossed.' And kinda makes me wonder if she did it for other empowered individuals if they wanted to give the Thanagarians trouble. Heroes or villains (can't be too much of a villain if the planet's gone). I plan to cover that more thoroughly in another story. The team will be re-united shortly, but not as soon as you'd like, I imagine.
Oceanbang: Glad you're enjoying character portrayal, and hope I've managed to keep your interest with my usual bout of mystery, angst, action and drama.