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Sunday, September 20th, 19:05

"That was the last section." Nightwing strode from the lobby of Gotham Airport.

Even in the all-glass waiting room, bathed in the bright setting sun, the bat sought the darkest nook available to brood. "And you found nothing." He muttered to himself, feeling frustration build.

I should be relived. Why dose this feel wrong?

For her part, Montoya indulged in a half-smile. "Comissioner Montoya of GCPD reporting." She spoke into the cell-phone. "Gotham airport clear."

"We've missed something." The dark knight grated from his corner.

"We checked every crack of this place." His former protégé insisted.

"Big picture." He replied. "Have to check some things at the Tower."

"Patrol?" Nightwing quirked a brow.

The bat nodded briskly.

"I'll grab some stuff from Bludhaven." The younger man strode for the parking lot. "Be back by midnight."

"Batmant to Metrotower," He spoke into the ear-piece. "Immediate transport."

22:10

The monitor womb resembled a planetarium, except its projection was inverted. Not one of the starry sky, but an amalgam of numerous satellite views of earth's surface. In the central spot, surrounded by a circle of touch-screen terminals, sat the dark knight. As most observations were automated, he made use of the uneventful graveyard shift to continue the hunt.

A short, faint gust of air told of doors being opened behind him. The lack of footsteps denoted an aerial leaguer. A mental run-down of the duty roster narrowed the list of suspects to one person.

"Hello, princess." He greeted without turning.

Her hands sought his shoulders, kneading away the knots of tension. Diana peered over his shoulder to the numerous screens. Any luck?

No. He leaned into the attentive care with an inward sigh of exasperation. "Ra's is virtually impossible to find by way of technology. Though he keeps up with the times, he prefers traditional means."

"And the up-close-and-personal method?"

"He's been dormant for ten years." Bruce began without promise. "I've tried to keep an eye on him, but with all the recent near apocalypses… All my leads are cold. It would take months to find someone who knows him personally." He paused. "And you know how reliable my latest one was." Bruce answered in that low tone that bespoke of guilt.

"Oh no you don't." She spun the chair around. With arms gripping either side of the chair back, Diana hovered threateningly in his eye level. "First - I've seen your body-language assessment and trust the contact didn't intentionally deceive. Second - You did keep an eye on him and would have continued if not for more urgent matters. And third - if you gave him more attention than he was due, those other issues would have killed us all." She let her voice rise a little before falling to a comforting tone. "Priorities are priorities."

Touché. He thought, but said: "Doesn't change the fact I keep hitting walls wherever I turn."

In a moment of thought, Diana absently stared through his chest. "This government cooperation could go both ways." She looked up again. "If Ra's is this dangerous someone from the CIA must have kept an eye on him."

I knew there was a reason I like you. Bruce smiled. "And if that someone isn't a five-men team, the director should be fired." His attempts to turn around were met with strong resistance.

"I'm sure any info they have on him will still be there shortly." Diana slowly landed on his lap. "A break from work will clear your head." She explained in an octave deeper voice.

"Here? Now?" His eyebrows rose in question.

Diana pulled his cowl off without protest. "It's the one place on Earth that can't be monitored."

A sly grin tugged at Wayne's lips as he clasped her slender waist. "Computer… lock up monitor womb… level zero." He ordered between short kisses.

The triple beep of founder's general broadcast interrupted their necking. Bruce swung his head back and groaned annoyed. Diana dipped her own down, chuckling at him.

"DNA analysis complete." Jonn informed. "The virus is harmless."

Bruce felt the nasty gut feeling return. "Superman, what's the status of the airports?"

"All teams reported clear, why?"

Bruce grit his teeth. "Meeting. Now." He sat straight and Diana floated off.

Pulling the cowl back on he strode out in a brisk pace.

"What's the matter?" She hovered to his side.

"Unproven." The Bat evaded presenting another unfounded scenario.

Diana didn't let that stop her. "I'd take your hunch over any analysis."

"We're here." He tipped the head at the council door, postponing the answer until the others gather.

Doors slid opened to the large room dominated by a round table and a view of a storm-front crossing the Atlantic.

The couple took their respective seats under the window, leaving one chair between them vacant. Superman arrived first, taking the seat directly opposite the door, befitting the first among equals, flanked by the Diana to his right and Wayne to his left. The Big Three watched in patient silence as the rest of the founders gathered. Stewart and Holl arrived together, their places side by side nearest the door. Jonn took his place besides the Dark knight, loner to loner, while Flash ran in last and opposite the quiet Martian.

"What's this about, Bats?" Wally was the one to voice everyone's thoughts.

Batman stared at the center of the table, fists clenched. "Diversion."

The room fell silent.

Diana leaned on the table. "If the warning was legitimate and we succeeded, there is nothing for us to do until you can prove it or disprove it." She spoke to Batman. "If this was a diversion, there's also nothing we can do until you find out what the real plan is."

You're amazing. The Bat's rigid stance melted to calm, as he regarded fondly, eyes safe behind dead-cold lenses.

Five heads bobbed in agreement with her plan.

While the others took her smile for victorious taunting, Wayne knew better, but made no outward show of it. "Fine." The Bat faked a begrudging agreement. As a non-meta, attitude was all he had.

"That settles it." Superman rose and thus concluded their meeting.

Bruce waited for the room to empty before turning to Diana.

"I know." She stood up and walked to him, fingers grazing his half-day stubble. "Take care."

…