A chilling feeling crawled across the body of Arthur Curry. As the light of the room started to settle in, his body began to adjust and regain feeling. Including the sharp pains from there battle with Amazo. Moving made Arthur feel lightheaded, a side effect from the medication he was given.
As he started to settle in from his slumber, Arthur took note he was in a bedroom. Wayne Manor, he assumed. Rubbing his eyes, he noticed Martian Manhunter standing in the doorway. "W-What's going on?"
"I've come to check on you. It seems your recovery is going well."
"I still don't feel all too well…"
"That is expected. You took some heavy hits, but it won't last forever."
"You're right, I've taken worse. What progress have we made on our mission?" Arthur asked him next.
"Batman has found some details that need to be shared with the team. When you are ready, join us at the table."
The Justice League assembled in the Batcave at the table. The tension that had been brought from the battle was still present in the air, but more importantly, there was determination. The team was ready to bring down Amazo.
Setting up displays and video footage recovered from the fight scene, Batman began to explain what he had uncovered.
"This android was capable of keeping up with us because it had our abilities. In it's mechanisms is an advanced replication system, able to somehow copy the powers of any metahuman it scans."
"Basically there's a hybrid monster with the powers of all of us walking around freely?" Flash injected.
"The short answer, yes." Batman nodded.
"How is it possible?" Wonder Woman questioned.
"There is no answer to that, not right now. All we know is, it can and is holding up all of the powers of the League. Not only that, but if it's ability is unlimited, the more powers he obtains the more unstoppable he becomes. If we are to defeat it, we need to find it now." Batman explained.
"How do we stop it?" Green Lantern raised the question. "We don't even know where it is, let alone what makes it tick."
"That is the next act in the process. Theoretically, if it can take your powers, then the weaknesses must follow. At its core, it is a machine, something that can be broken. If we can bypass the power supply it wields, we destroy it from the inside." Batman proclaimed, confident in his thinking.
"Then let's find it." Superman stood up from his chair. "Searching worldwide sounds impossible, but with us? We can do it. I've known Lex, whatever he has planned, it won't progress further. He can't hide forever."
"The team will split up then, search far and wide. I've done my own surfing and with that, have tapped into a satellite system that will give me worldwide security coverage. Wherever they are, they won't be masked in disguise for long." Batman turned towards the Batcomputer.
With the next step underway, the team split up and began to travel the globe in search of Amazo and Lex Luthor.
Reciting a famous speech made by a former President, the tour guide led her group through the East Wing entrance of the White House. As she continued her talking, she stopped to let the group gather inside the foyer underneath a portrait of one of the former Presidents.
Beth Chapel had regularly memorized quotes and speeches from past Presidents, but with the way she spoke it sounded like it was off the spot which impressed the tourists. Beth was a short woman with curly black locks of hair, and a warm, welcoming smile. That way, you'd miss her eyes that never stopped looking from person to person among the group she was leading along through the White House. It also covered that the drape of her business blazer hid in a hollister on her back.
Beth Chapel was secret service, just like the tall, broad shouldered, defined men in business suits who stood at intervals along the wall. At the reception desk and at the doorways leading to the interior of the White House were there equally imposing counterparts in the Executive Protection Service.
When the tours were decided to reopen, the Secret Service insisted on taking over as guides. Their argument? You could never be too careful, especially when the main job is to protect the man or woman in that office.
With a gesture to ease the crowd, Beth led the group towards the security desk. "As a reminder, with the president in today, we want to be especially careful. One at a time, please approach the desk, present a photo I.D, place your bags and purses on the conveyor belt, and pass through our metal detectors. All of your belongings will be returned at the end of it. I know it may come off as strict, but it is our protocol for the safety of everyone."
One man in the back caught Beth's attention. He wasn't doing any harm, his body language was relaxed and eased. Maybe it was a nervous feeling that held him back from the group, it was a common fear of accidentally leaving something on you that could trigger the alarms. Looking away to watch the group follow orders, Beth turned back and saw the man was gone completely. Not with the group, not anywhere near.
Instinctively, Beth's hand reached for the strap on her back, but when she felt around all she found was… nothing?! Her weapon of defense was gone.
From the East Wing entrance, labeled the crossway, ran lengthwise through the heart of the building. It had been the area where the everyday work of the household had been done, but with needed space, renovations had taken place.
None had been in use, which made the slight noise perk the special agent's interest who was in the area. Following routine grew boring at times, the noise was much welcomed for him to investigate. The agent peered down the hallways but found nothing, next checking doorways.
Opening up a door, he found a man in one of the rooms, back turned to him. "Beth's going to be in much trouble for letting one walk off…" The agent muttered, approaching lightly. "Excuse me sir, are you lost? You must remain with the group at all times."
The man turned, revealing glowing red eyes. The agent, in a panic, raised his drawn gun but the man was much faster and took it out of his grasp in a blink of an eye. The man wasn't a man, but a super one. Superman.
At the rear of the mansion, President Joseph was working the phones with his usual charm. The doors to the outer office burst open and Joe looked up in confusion. The head of his protection unit came in, agents following him with weapons in hand. "Say again?" The head spoke into his cuff, "He's on his way now?!"
"What's going-" The President had started but was silenced.
Four of the team, two in regular suits wielding pistols, while the other two had heavy armor with machine guns.
The entirety of the team formed a barricade around the President and held their weapons high. Rounding the corner was Superman in his whole glory, blue suit, "S" shield symbol, cape, trunks, boots, and all. Superman stared down the agents with an uncharacteristic smug smirk. Quicker then the agents could react, Superman zoomed around the room and knocked them all around. Their weapons were destroyed with a combination effort of power and strength.
The President was grabbed and lifted up in the air, Superman glaring at him. Joe was expecting the worst and had prayed quietly, closing his eyes. Instead of being vaporized, the Man of Steel burned his symbol into the President's desk. Joe was harshly thrown at his chair and toppled over with it.
"The need for authority is behind us. Abandon it." Superman spoke, bursting up into the air and blasting through the ceiling, departing as fast as he had come.
Beth had been to meetings at the White House Situation room before, but this was one she never thought would come. Superman? If he was off rails now, who could anyone trust? That wouldn't matter though, with his power, the world would fall without a plan.
An older gentleman stood up and looked among the gathered group, then directly at the chairmen. "Mr. Chairman, our worst fears have come to light. Superman, opposing his power and invading the White House. It was a blessing he had not executed our leader. But that is to say, when will he? It's all unexpected. Contingency plans for North Korea, Fluoride in our water, but how will we ever craft one to stop the Superman? It's damn near impossible!"
"The chances may seem low, but are never zero." A new voice spoke. Lex Luthor entered the room with his bodyguard Mercy, the assembled group talking against themselves.
"Luthor, who let you in?" The speaker snapped.
"I think the more important matter at hand is, who will save us from our demise? Well, I may have our solution." Lex smiled deviously. "I know how to stop Superman for good."
Superman, and his associates were now on the top of the most wanted criminals list.
The duty the heroes held had been greatly challenged, more challenged then they thought before. Amazo had taken things to the next level. Lex's grand scheme was unraveling right under them.
The Justice League reassembled back at the Batcave, at their highest intensity. All the team was on edge, arguing and expressing their large concerns. Batman distanced himself, looming over the Batcomputer.
"Hey! You've been quiet the whole time! The hell are we supposed to do now?" Barry called out Batman, his usual laid back behavior now replaced with burning rage and upset.
"Go off the grid." Batman spoke after a while, looking at the group. "They are going after everyone, all of us, our loved ones, friends, family. Get them to safety first, then we stay low here and figure out a way to take down Luthor before he achieves great power. The core of this is Lex and his creation, if we can take them down, we can clear our status from there."
There wasn't any definitive answer or precaution to take. Lex's plan was already unfolding. Batman was just as angry as the rest of the team, and just as lost, but that came with the responsibility.
Bruce learned that lesson in his earlier days of his career. The Justice League was far from down. Lex was going down, one way or another.