The One Man
Superman had been hurt. He knew that. Not only physically, but his pride as well. Batman was going to cause him a great deal of trouble and he knew that Batman was the one man could beat him. Not because of the kryptonite ring, but because he was more cunning than him. He flew to the new League base.
He walked in and saw his familiar team. Wonder Woman, his co-leader. She had been forced to give up her hero status. Now she was free again to do as she wanted. They all were. After killing Luther they had declared marshal law. No one would dare oppose them.
Standing next to her where two of the Flashes. Barry Allen and Wally West. Luther had declared that Jay Garrick and Bart West. The oldest and youngest of the group was all the world needed. This meant that Barry and Wally were forced to surrender their mantles. Superman proposed his plan after the event of Metropolis took place. They agreed and had been who took care of the secret service while Wonder Woman and Superman dealt with Maxwell Lord and Lex Luther.
This was their league at the moment. Superman had other members to recruit and see, but he knew his league would grow. He looked over at the flashes who looked at thought they had just bee through hell.
"I take it Ollie and Dinah didn't want to be part of our little group?" he asked calmly.
"They beat the ever living hell out of us, what do you think?" replied Wally
"Wally shut up," replied Barry.
"It doesn't matter," Superman said looking over at a screen with heroes faces on it "I expected Arrow and Canary not to agree with our move. How did things go with Cyborg and Starfire?"
"Victor told me he has permanently stepped down from being a hero. He's built something that gives him a human form. Kori on the other hand decided to be difficult," replied Wonder Woman.
"How difficult?" Clark asked as he looked over at his comrade.
"She beat the hell out of Hawk and Dove before I showed up to detain her," responded the Amazon Princess.
"Has she been put in a proper holding cell?" Barry said as he looked over at her.
"Yes. Her star bolts will have no effect on it," responded a voice from the shadows.
As they looked over Donna Troy walked out with her hair tied back in a ponytail. Troia was the name she chose to go by now, but it was well known that she would be Wonder Woman's successor one day. Her armor and hair glistened with stars all around her and she seemed to always flow with knowledge.
"Good, at least we were able to get one of our crucial targets. Batman escaped me." Superman said as he sat down, "He is the one man in this world who stands a chance of ending things for us."
Troia walked over and sat down next to her Amazon sister and nodded with agreeance. All of them did. Batman was the most dangerous threat they had. Green Arrow and the other heroes he might have on his side were only small stepping stones. Batman was the brains of the group. He would be the one that needed to be defeated first. Superman knew exactly how to also.
"Since policies are changing I suggest that it is time that we take care of this problem now…"
Miles away on a roof top Dick Grayson sat and listened. He knew that this was not good. When he heard Superman's plan he almost made a noise…almost. He did not like the sound of it. He had to warn Batman. He had to worn the Outsiders and any other heroes he could.
He bolted from rooftop to rooftop he knew he had to get to Outsiders HQ. He had to. Suddenly he was stopped. Standing in front of him was Another Nightwing.
"Hello Dickie Bird," he said, "What's happening?"
"Jason I don't have time for this and neither do you. I have to worn Batman about Superman's plan." Grayson said as he looked at the second Robin and Fake Nightwing Jason Todd.
"Oh come on how bout some fun," Jason said as he punched Dick in the face.
Dick rolled with the hit and jumped up and out of the way.
"Jason their going to—" Dick started to say as a fist hit him in the stomach.
That was it. Jason went in for another punch and Dick blocked and delivered a kick to Jason's stomach. Dick smiled a little as he felt Jason's ribs crack.
"Now then listen to me you little twit," Dick said calmly, "Superman and his Justice League are going to start targeting people that Bruce cares about. That includes you and me. We have to get out of here and warn him."
"Speak for yourself," Jason managed to cough up, "I'm a member of Supe's team."
Dick stepped back and asked, "You can't be serious?"
Jason managed to pull himself up and smile, "Oh I am," he said, "I'm deadly serious. Why aren't you?"
Dick stared at his former friend and brother. Jason was more violent and had crossed the line on more than one occasion, but he never thought that he would go this far.
"Jason," he started, "Why? How could you? He raised you. He treated you like a son. He still cares for you."
"Easy," Todd said, "Remember how he treated us. The emotional abuse we took from him. Now look at Tim. He looks at him as more of a son than he ever did for us. He never respected us."
"You'd be surprised," Dick replied to his Nightwing counter part, "He still thinks he can save you. He doesn't think it is too late for you."
Todd continued his smile and said, "Yeah well it might just be a little too late for you."
Jason pointed behind him and there floating was the Black Adam.
"Aw hell," was all Dick managed to get out before Adam grabbed him by the neck and flew up into the air with him.
"You will join us or suffer," he said calmly.
Dick looked down. Only a few buildings at the height they were at. He'd only have on shot at this.
With a swift kick to the groin Black Adam dropped Dick. He fell several feet before he fired out his grappling wire.
"Fuck," Dick thought, "I think I broke my foot doing that to him. It was like kicking a brick wall."
He swung away believing that he would reach safety. He was wrong as he landed on the ledge of the roof he saw a familiar pair of orange goggles staring at him. Ted Kord: The Blue Beatle. Kord stood there with his gun drawn at Dick. He had to act fast but with a possibly broken foot, Jason Todd, and a most likely pissed off Black Adam after him it was going to be damn near impossible.
"Dick put you hands up," Ted said, "Put them up and listen. Surrender okay. Trust me I can get you out of this alive."
"Why would you care?" Dick asked, "You sided with Superman right after he killed Luther."
"That's because Bruce told me to," Beatle replied, "He had to get someone in and I agreed. Listen just surrender. I can get you out of this alive. Hopefully not even hurt to bad."
Dick shook his head. He knew Ted. He was telling the truth, but also knew the temper Adam had. He knew that he might very well die in this scenario.
"Sorry Ted," he said, "But I gotta do this my way. I prefer to keep all of my limbs. Besides I have back up on the way."
Beatle stared at him for a moment. Backup? Who? More over what that could stand a chance against Black Adam. He would soon find out as Adam ripped through the building in front of both of them.
Ted had to get into the game and fired a few stun flares at Nightwing, who ducked out of the way with ease. Adam came in for an attack and Nightwing dodged, letting Adam fly right through the building he had just put a hole into earlier. Ted fired another shot that grazed Dick in the shoulder.
Nightwing looked over at him and Ted winked. Had Ted figured out his plan? He hoped not. He needed to be completely surprised. As surprised as Nightwing was when a knife flew into the wall next to him. Dick looked up and saw Jason coming down after him. Jason was mere feet away when and Arrow opened and with a net around Jason and locked him to the walls.
When Ted and Nightwing looked up Arsenal, Grace, and a mystery man wearing a black suit and tie stood up there looking down at them. While Ted was distracted Nightwing kicked him in the stomach and whispered in his ear, "Sorry man had to make it look real."
Nightwing fired his grapple up to see his fellow Outsiders there waiting for him with their jet behind them.
"We have to go," Nightwing said, "I have some stuff to tell Batman and Black Adam should be making a second round pretty soon."
Arsenal nodded and said, "You've got it hombre. John cover our escape."
"Shazamatha tectos metcalia," shouted the guy in the trenchcoat.
A seal with the symbol of Shazam appeared on the side of the Jet. Nightwing and the others jumped in right as Adam came at it. Within five feet of the jet he doubled over and clutched his side. John sat in the seat next to Nightwing and smiled.
"Gotta love a spell that makes someone wanna hurl if they get to if they get to close to it," he said as he lit a cigarette, "Name's John Constantine. Exorcist and Magician extraordinaire."
Magic. He would come in handy Dick thought. Superman is hurt by magic.
Yes I know that in the Hellblazer graphic novels Constantine is just a magician, and that he and Nightwing have met before, though briefly, but as I pointed out this is an alternate reality and so I chose to use a combo of the one from the comics and the movie.