Bruce felt a pang in his stomach, a pang he hadn't felt since the day he'd seen Jason's body in the street. Slashed, bloody and broken. He'd failed then and he'd failed now. Lois Lane was dead, and Clark was hurting. Bruce had no idea how to fix it, how to make it stop hurting, and he hated himself for that. He knew what was to come, and in some strange way, he welcomed it. Perhaps that would make up for his failure as a friend. He closed his eyes briefly. Clark was still in the Fortress, he had not left, he had not spoken to anyone, he was in the Fortress doing God alone knew what. Jonathan Kent Junior was at his grandparents' house, and he too had not moved, he'd do his chores and that was it. The Kents were hurting and Bruce had no idea how to help them.
He'd gotten the police off Clark's tail, and told them Conduit had killed himself, but some idiot somewhere had let something leak and now he was working twice as hard as before. The people needed to believe in Superman. He ran a hand over his chin, feeling the stubble bristly. He looked around the room and sighed. "So, what was so important that it required the League meeting immediately?"
Oliver didn't say anything for a long time, then he spoke. "Dinah and I and team Arrow captured Malcolm Merlyn. We asked him why he was back in Star City and we learned a few things from him, that I thought the League would want to know." Oliver paused there, took a sip of water then continued. "It seems that his partnership with Damian Darhk is at an end, as Darhk has found a new master, someone named Mallus."
Someone gasped at that, but Bruce looked at Oliver. "Go on." The name rang a bell, why he was not sure.
"It seems that this Mallus creature is a former God, someone strong enough to cause a being such as Darhk to find him worth serving. Overwatch provided me with some information. It seems Mallus was a God from the old days, neither an Old God or a New God, but rather someone in between. Everyone feared him apart from his own sire. He was worshipped in Ancient India, long before the Vedas were written down onto paper, or even imagined. It seems that for a long time he ruled over India before someone brave enough, or stupid enough depending on your definition, decided to challenge him. This person was half human and half god and they managed to defeat Mallus, and kept him locked away somewhere hidden. Where nobody knows, but what we do know is that there is only one recorded mention of him, and that is a text that Merlyn has hidden somewhere." Oliver said.
"Why would Darhk one of the most powerful users of magic in the world, want to work for this being? How would they even meet?" Barry asked.
"Darhk is a curious man, he always has been. When I trained with the League, Ra's would always mention Darhk and how his curiosity was always something there haunting him and taunting him. It would not surprise me if he had found a way to channel all of that curiosity into finding someone who could give him the information he desires. This Mallus being, did Overwatch say where they were kept, or how might one bring him back?" Bruce said.
Oliver shook her head. "No, and Merlyn won't say where he's kept this piece of paper that allegedly tells you how to summon him." Bruce nodded, there was not much that could be done about that, though.
"Diana, Arthur have either of you heard of something like this before?".
"No." Arthur said simply.
"The only thing that resembles that is Gog, but we already know he can't come back as the amulet is hidden under our protection." Diana said.
"There was more." Oliver said.
"Go on." Bruce said, though he suspected he already knew what was coming.
"Merlyn also said that Ra's Al Ghul had made contact with someone, someone from our past. And that person was coming to Earth, now that Clark was removed from events, he thought it like that this person would be more successful." Oliver said.
Bruce sighed, this was not what he wanted to hear. "Which version?"
"Thirteen. I think. It can't be five, and it can't be one, they're both still with the Legion, I checked." Oliver said.
"Then we must make sure that everything is prepared and in order. Otherwise we shall all be screwed." Bruce said. He looked at Diana. "Diana, I know Clark is grieving, but I need you to go and speak with him. He'll listen to you."
Diana looked at him more than understanding on her face. "He'll listen to you too, you know Bruce."
Bruce sighed. "It will be better coming from you." After all, I should have known something like this would have happened.
"Very well, I shall leave now." Diana said, Bruce nodded and watched as she got up and departed, he hoped that things wouldn't escalate.
Bruce took a deep breath, then said. "Now, what word has there been on the search for Black Manta?"
Arthur spoke. "So far we've got three candidates who we think it could be and all of them have gone missing, serving their country at sea. All of them come from travelled backgrounds, easy to manipulate for whatever cause President Matthews sees fit. And considering the impact the loss of drilling has done for him, I think he'd be very interested in gaining someone."
Bruce nodded, he did feel that Arthur's approach had lacked some tack, but he wasn't going to say that now. Instead he said. "I had the chance to speak with some of the men within Matthews inner circle, they don't know anything. But the one woman who serves as his chief of staff told me that he's been meeting with Maxwell Lord a lot, it seems they're panicking."
"As they should be." Victor said.
Bruce looked at Victor, he wasn't sure about the kid, sure he was good with what he did, but there was a part of him that craved to serve someone more powerful than himself. He would be dangerous for what was coming. "What have you found Victor?" He asked.
Stone didn't say anything for a moment, then he said. "Lord has been keeping tabs on the President, at the President's request. It seems that since Lois Kent was murdered, the President has been feeling especially nervous. So, people like Killer Croc and Bruno Mannheim have been keeping him company in secret of course. Matthews is discussing a bill that will help Lord Industries with his cabinet today."
"What bill is this?" Oliver asked.
"The Bill For the Enforcement Of Registration On All Meta Humans. It's a bill that Matthews trumpeted throughout his time on the campaign trail, and its why he won in the north and deep south. He's finally gotten it drafted, and should it pass we're all going to be registered and our every move checked." Victor replied.
"Oliver, we have to get in touch with our contacts on the hill. We cannot let that bill pass." Bruce said.
"Agreed. I'll make some calls. Victor when does the bill get put to the floor?" Oliver replied.
"On Monday." Victor said.
"And it's Wednesday now, right I'll get to it. Do you need me here?" Oliver asked.
"No." Bruce said.
Oliver and Dinah got up and left together. Bruce looked at Victor then at Arthur. "Any news you want to report, Arthur?"
"Negative. I have business with my wife to attend to." Arthur said, he got up and left.
"The rest of you can go." Bruce said dismissing them. As they all filed out, Bruce ran a hand over his face, he felt tired, he was sure he looked tired, but there was one more place he needed to go. He stood, stretched then walked out of the hall, and toward the conference room. He opened the door, sat down and keyed in a code, as the computer screen remained blank, he thought about what he was doing. He was sure this was the right course of action, he knew what would happen, he just needed to make sure it was happening for the right reasons. The screen brightened and he found himself staring at a face he hadn't seen in years. "Your Royal Highness."
"Mister Wayne." The Prince of Wales said. "I trust you know what you are doing."
"Yes Your Royal Highness, however, I do have a question. Should President Matthews and Lord succeed in finding what it is they are actually looking for, what then? You will be finished and there will be war." Bruce asked.
"Indeed there will be, however, there are things that are much more important than one little war between nations. The United States might think itself the greatest nation on the planet, and perhaps at one point that was true, but Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, all these failed interventions have lost them allies. Britain has reclaimed its place amongst the foremost of nations, and now, we have a powerful ally. So, no, even if they find what they are looking for, they will fail. And you will make sure of that." The Prince said. "I know that what we ask of you is difficult, Mister Wayne, and I know that you feel torn and want to help, but it is important that you do not."
"I understand, Your Royal Highness." Bruce said. Then he paused, thinking over his next words carefully. "Have you thought about what needs to be done at your end, Your Royal Highness?"
"I have, and Her Majesty the Queen agrees with me. We have served our country for long enough, the time has come for some fresh blood to come into the throne. You have everything you need here?" The Prince asked.
"Yes, Your Royal Highness. Thank you." Bruce said.
"Good." The Prince replied before the connection was cut.
Still he had unanswered questions, and so he dialled the only other person he knew who had managed to balance absolute power with justice and authority. "High Father."
"Bruce Wayne."
"I wanted to ask you something."
"I cannot tell you what the source has shown me, Bruce, you know this. I can tell you some things though." The High Father replied.
Bruce waited, and as expected the High Father sighed. "The world is turning, Bruce, your world. It is coming to an age where a decision must be made. Do you want chaos, and freedom, or do you want order and security? The world is tearing itself apart, humanity is destroying everything. Yet there is hope, but you might not like where that hope leads."
"Did you? When you and Uxas overthrew the Old Gods? Did you like where it led you?" Bruce asked.
"Not at first, but eventually, when I found my way, I did yes. I had good counsellors and advisors, people who wanted me to succeed. The world will need that when the time comes. Otherwise the old will come and that will be worse than what the new could bring. Do you understand?" The Highfather replied.
"I do." Bruce said.
The transmission ended, and Bruce stared at the screen for a little while longer, before he stood up and made his way out to his car. He got in, started it and drove off. where he was going he didn't know, but he knew one thing, he needed to clear his mind and prepare for when Clark returned to the world. For when his friend did that, then things would finally become clearer. He looked at a picture of his father and mother and sighed. "Am I doing the right thing?" He wondered what they would do, but there was no point wondering, they'd been dead for thirty years.