Chapter 7
Superman never made it out of the room before Luthor and his bodyguards scurried out of the office.
"Superman!"
"Mr. President."
"To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"
"Mr. President, I understand your need for security, but I need to speak to you alone. "
"I am sorry, Superman, but I don't have the time nor the inclination to adjust my schedule at this time to give you a private meeting. Whatever you wish to say to me you can say in front of my bodyguards."
"Luthor, I'm here to advise you that it has been discovered that your company is responsible for the death of Nightwing, a young man whom I consider family. Your weather machine was a success, but I can assure you it will not be a threat for much longer."
Luthor had the audacity to appear shocked. But in the same movements he reached for a lead-lined box he kept in his pocket.
"It has also come to our attention that in your abuse of your powers as President of the United States, you were testing your weapon against members of other nations when the Titans unknowingly intervened. Before you open the box of what I can only assume is kryptonite, I think you ought to know that prior to coming here I dropped off a few packages to several people who will be shocked to discover the contents...including France, Norway, Germany and England, as well as to a few news reporters who would want nothing better than to get an exclusive from you about the attempted murder of their respective nationalists. This information has already been given to the members of the JLA and the Titans as well, and though you may be able to take me out, I seriously doubt you can do the same to all of them."
"I have no clue what you're talking about, but I can't imagine that someone who claims to stand for 'Truth, Justice and the American Way' would concoct something so detrimental to this country," Luthor growled.
"Those words lost a lot of their meaning when you took office, Luthor. But I can assure you I have every intention of trying to protect this country, even from its own stupidity."
"Not saying that this accusation is true, but if it were and it should get out that the United States had, as you say, made an attempt on the lives of nationalists of other countries, it could start a war. Surely you wouldn't want that to come about," Luthor whined "War?"
Superman bent closely into Luthor's face, his bodyguards both pointing their guns point blank at his head. He could feel the effects of the kryptonite that lined the bullets. "You," the Man of Steel growled, "murdered a good man, Mr. President. I will see you pay...One way... or another." With that Superman turned and walked away.
"Titan 2 to Batman," called Garth, who had taken the co-pilot's seat. Quickly switched on the planes communications. "You're not going anywhere with out us."
"Never intended to, Tempest. There will be a lot of area to cover. Robin has used the bat computer to triangulate a search area. The pictures were taken near the border of the United States and Canada. It then became stationary, lost strength and died out. I don't think the winds would have been able to carry it much farther. There are three small islands that are not supposed to be inhabited in the area, according to satellites. I think if the pod was dropped in this area..."
"Then maybe he is on one of the islands!" Roy announced excitedly "But which one?"
"There is still the very real possibility that he never survived the explosion, Arsenal."
"Or the pod was submerged when it hit the water." Tempest added. Donna remained quiet, trying to control the ship and her tears.
"Even if he was alive...his resources, air, food, would..."
"STOP IT." Donna cried out. "Please stop it. Let's find him dead or alive, but please stop debating about it until we do find him."
The rest of the flight was dead quiet until they reached proximity of the search. Suddenly Batman's sonar picked up something submerged between two of the islands.
"Batman to Titan2."
"We picked it up, too," Roy returned in a whispered voice. "We're descending to drop off Tempest. Hang on."
Garth hit the water and quickly swam to the spot of the sonar contact. Part of him was hoping it was some other form of human garbage. The waters in this area were cold...it made sense that the storm was man-made; it would have never survive these waters. He certainly couldn't see how Dick would have.
"Poseidon, help us." Tempest prayed as he found the wreckage. It was the pod, but if Dick was still inside he was dead. "It's the pod all right...there is a large gap in the side of it..."
The next couple of minutes seemed like hours. Parts of the equipment lay sprawled near the wreckage. For a moment he couldn't bring himself to look inside, but he knew there were so many waiting for answers. "By the gods," he whispered looking at the destruction inside the pod, "He's not here. The pod is empty."
"What are the chances anyone has seen a stray bird down there," Roy groaned. His eyes were suddenly filled with uncontrolled tears.
"Funny you should bring that up. There is a pod of orcas near here that said the great wind laid this egg against the rocks of one of the islands. The waters stole it from the rocks but when the human calf hatched it was injured and sick and not able to swim so they helped him beach himself. I don't know if it is much help but he was alive when they left him."
"But the islands are uninhabited. The sensors show no life forms." Donna confirmed, "So he's..."
"Look again," Batman announced with just a hint of emotion in his voice. Both Donna and Roy played with the knobs, and to their surprise they found that despite the previous information, two of the islands had life forms.
"Batman the uninhabited islands...are inhabited, at least two of them. Something must have been jamming the signal."
"I concur, it may be the earth base of the weather satellite that shot him down. They could have some kind of jamming device that has given us false readings," Batman confirmed. "For all we know the readings we are getting now may not be real. Lets check it out."
"The equipment is picking up a lot of interference but it looks like there is a faint signal coming from the small island. Do you think it could be...?"
"I don't know; it's possible. I can't seem to keep a fix on it. It could be just an image ghost or it could be some outcast from the other island. Did the whales happen to specify which island they took him to?"
"The one west of our position," Tempest acknowledged.
"Then it's him," Donna screeched
"Lets not get our hopes up, Donna. The island to the east is heavily armed. It looks like it's laid out for some kind of military installation, Batman."
They were right. The larger island appeared to have something to hide. A large mountain within the center of the island was a mask for something that seemed to need a good deal of concealed armament to protect it.
"Batman, we'll handle the big one." Roy smiled, " I think Donna and I need to let off some steam."
"Don't be stupid, Arsenal. I am not leaving you to face them alone."
"If this is what you think it is...they won't have enough people on this island to keep me from blowing it to hell," he barked. "Garth, meet us at the southwest corner of the island. Batman, you check out the other island. Whoever is over there is going to need your help. And if it's him...tell him he owes me a cruise."
No more words were said. None were needed as far as Arsenal was concerned. That is until two words began to echo in the back of his mind...
Titans Together.
Superman never made it out of the room before Luthor and his bodyguards scurried out of the office.
"Superman!"
"Mr. President."
"To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"
"Mr. President, I understand your need for security, but I need to speak to you alone. "
"I am sorry, Superman, but I don't have the time nor the inclination to adjust my schedule at this time to give you a private meeting. Whatever you wish to say to me you can say in front of my bodyguards."
"Luthor, I'm here to advise you that it has been discovered that your company is responsible for the death of Nightwing, a young man whom I consider family. Your weather machine was a success, but I can assure you it will not be a threat for much longer."
Luthor had the audacity to appear shocked. But in the same movements he reached for a lead-lined box he kept in his pocket.
"It has also come to our attention that in your abuse of your powers as President of the United States, you were testing your weapon against members of other nations when the Titans unknowingly intervened. Before you open the box of what I can only assume is kryptonite, I think you ought to know that prior to coming here I dropped off a few packages to several people who will be shocked to discover the contents...including France, Norway, Germany and England, as well as to a few news reporters who would want nothing better than to get an exclusive from you about the attempted murder of their respective nationalists. This information has already been given to the members of the JLA and the Titans as well, and though you may be able to take me out, I seriously doubt you can do the same to all of them."
"I have no clue what you're talking about, but I can't imagine that someone who claims to stand for 'Truth, Justice and the American Way' would concoct something so detrimental to this country," Luthor growled.
"Those words lost a lot of their meaning when you took office, Luthor. But I can assure you I have every intention of trying to protect this country, even from its own stupidity."
"Not saying that this accusation is true, but if it were and it should get out that the United States had, as you say, made an attempt on the lives of nationalists of other countries, it could start a war. Surely you wouldn't want that to come about," Luthor whined "War?"
Superman bent closely into Luthor's face, his bodyguards both pointing their guns point blank at his head. He could feel the effects of the kryptonite that lined the bullets. "You," the Man of Steel growled, "murdered a good man, Mr. President. I will see you pay...One way... or another." With that Superman turned and walked away.
"Titan 2 to Batman," called Garth, who had taken the co-pilot's seat. Quickly switched on the planes communications. "You're not going anywhere with out us."
"Never intended to, Tempest. There will be a lot of area to cover. Robin has used the bat computer to triangulate a search area. The pictures were taken near the border of the United States and Canada. It then became stationary, lost strength and died out. I don't think the winds would have been able to carry it much farther. There are three small islands that are not supposed to be inhabited in the area, according to satellites. I think if the pod was dropped in this area..."
"Then maybe he is on one of the islands!" Roy announced excitedly "But which one?"
"There is still the very real possibility that he never survived the explosion, Arsenal."
"Or the pod was submerged when it hit the water." Tempest added. Donna remained quiet, trying to control the ship and her tears.
"Even if he was alive...his resources, air, food, would..."
"STOP IT." Donna cried out. "Please stop it. Let's find him dead or alive, but please stop debating about it until we do find him."
The rest of the flight was dead quiet until they reached proximity of the search. Suddenly Batman's sonar picked up something submerged between two of the islands.
"Batman to Titan2."
"We picked it up, too," Roy returned in a whispered voice. "We're descending to drop off Tempest. Hang on."
Garth hit the water and quickly swam to the spot of the sonar contact. Part of him was hoping it was some other form of human garbage. The waters in this area were cold...it made sense that the storm was man-made; it would have never survive these waters. He certainly couldn't see how Dick would have.
"Poseidon, help us." Tempest prayed as he found the wreckage. It was the pod, but if Dick was still inside he was dead. "It's the pod all right...there is a large gap in the side of it..."
The next couple of minutes seemed like hours. Parts of the equipment lay sprawled near the wreckage. For a moment he couldn't bring himself to look inside, but he knew there were so many waiting for answers. "By the gods," he whispered looking at the destruction inside the pod, "He's not here. The pod is empty."
"What are the chances anyone has seen a stray bird down there," Roy groaned. His eyes were suddenly filled with uncontrolled tears.
"Funny you should bring that up. There is a pod of orcas near here that said the great wind laid this egg against the rocks of one of the islands. The waters stole it from the rocks but when the human calf hatched it was injured and sick and not able to swim so they helped him beach himself. I don't know if it is much help but he was alive when they left him."
"But the islands are uninhabited. The sensors show no life forms." Donna confirmed, "So he's..."
"Look again," Batman announced with just a hint of emotion in his voice. Both Donna and Roy played with the knobs, and to their surprise they found that despite the previous information, two of the islands had life forms.
"Batman the uninhabited islands...are inhabited, at least two of them. Something must have been jamming the signal."
"I concur, it may be the earth base of the weather satellite that shot him down. They could have some kind of jamming device that has given us false readings," Batman confirmed. "For all we know the readings we are getting now may not be real. Lets check it out."
"The equipment is picking up a lot of interference but it looks like there is a faint signal coming from the small island. Do you think it could be...?"
"I don't know; it's possible. I can't seem to keep a fix on it. It could be just an image ghost or it could be some outcast from the other island. Did the whales happen to specify which island they took him to?"
"The one west of our position," Tempest acknowledged.
"Then it's him," Donna screeched
"Lets not get our hopes up, Donna. The island to the east is heavily armed. It looks like it's laid out for some kind of military installation, Batman."
They were right. The larger island appeared to have something to hide. A large mountain within the center of the island was a mask for something that seemed to need a good deal of concealed armament to protect it.
"Batman, we'll handle the big one." Roy smiled, " I think Donna and I need to let off some steam."
"Don't be stupid, Arsenal. I am not leaving you to face them alone."
"If this is what you think it is...they won't have enough people on this island to keep me from blowing it to hell," he barked. "Garth, meet us at the southwest corner of the island. Batman, you check out the other island. Whoever is over there is going to need your help. And if it's him...tell him he owes me a cruise."
No more words were said. None were needed as far as Arsenal was concerned. That is until two words began to echo in the back of his mind...
Titans Together.