Prelude to Panic

Monday, September 21st, 16:15

Bruce carried a plate of salmon risotto between nigh empty tables of the mess hall, to where Diana enjoyed her pasta Bolognese. He sat beside her, elbow to elbow, and the two ate without talking, enjoying each others quiet company. Bruce noticed and observed that all subsequent leaguers coming into the mess hall sat at tables around them until they were filled to capacity.

Usually people steered clear of the Bat, but lately they were keeping a not so subtle eye on him, despite his foreboding reputation. Wayne assumed Jonn had subtly influenced their colleagues to show him a hint of care, but not too overtly. He couldn't help but admire the carefully calculated response.

Not long into the meal, Stewart and Shayera dropped by. Taking a hint from the Amazon, they two decided against attempting small-talk. The next visitor however was a different story altogether. Always drawn by a crowd, Wally dragged himself over and pulled up a chair. Sitting astride, he slumped his arms over the chair back.

Wayne's brow shot up. "Where's your tray?"

"Not hungry." The younger hero shrugged.

"U-huh." Bruce was less than satisfied. "When did you last eat?"

"Breakfast."

Four people looked at each other in expressions ranging from concern to panic.

Wally sat up straight, face all innocent. "What?"

"Youare slow." Shayera flew over the table, grabbed him by the shoulders and headed out. Racing through the halls, she stormed the medical bay, dropping a fidgeting Wally on the exam bed.

"Lethargy and loss of appetite." She told Mr. Terrific.

"Severe." Wayne corrected upon entry, Diana and Stewart hovering at his sides.

Walking over, T inspected Wally's appearance. The younger man was a tad pale, and his lithe form looked almost skinny. "IV and bed rest for symptoms, blood work for diagnosis." He picked up a sterile kit.

"Hate needles." The speedster muttered as the other man cleaned his forearm.

"This will be quick." He spoke in a reassuring tone.

"Not for me it wo- Hey!"

Terrific pulled the needle out. "Done." He walked over to the lab area and fed the sample into an analyzer. Moments after came the readout. "Hmm… "

"Hmm what?" Stewart was edgy.

"Common cold as Jonn already diagnosed, but his white blood cell count is not elevated." Terrific added. "Probably a delayed response."

"Told you it was nothing." Wally pouted like a ten year old.

Shayera grinned at Lantern. "Well he is slow."

Wally crossed his arms. "Ha. Ha."

Bruce released an exasperated sigh This is ridiculous. He turned to the door. "Call me if there's a change."

"Where are you going?" Shayera didn't want her detective partner gone in the middle of the investigation.

"Pay Waller a visit." He spoke as the door shut behind him.

17:55

"They're already part of UN's peacekeepers in Khundustan." The bat argued. "One contingent will be enough."

Waller stared up at him defiantly. "Delta force or no backup."

"Napoleon said a million of them could take over the world." He pulled an ace out of his sleve.

"Why haven't they?" A commander cut in from the corner, gray hair stark against his ark complexion.

"In his time there were only a million of them in total, women and children included." The Bat explained. "Even now all adult males would barely make up that much. And they have a truism: stolen - damned."

"I'm not leaving the World's fate in the hands of some third class Balkan militia." Waller slammed her fist into the table.

Wayne fought back a frustrated groan. "No force that went on conquest of Europe could seize them. Barbarians, Turks, Nazis, … they all hit a dead end there." He leaned over, towering above her. "You want someone to stop Ra's, you'll give me five minutes with Horvat - in private, secure line, no bugs."

Waller's eyes turned to studious slits. "You know him personally, don't you?"

The bat pulled back, taking a moment to consider his answer. "Yes."

"All right." She muttered, sending a glance in Daniels' way. "Contact the UN forces, Croatian division."

Static gave way to a middle aged uniformed Caucasian. "General Daniels." He nodded in greeting. "How can we help you?"

"Someone wants a word with you." The older commander replied before leaving the room with Waller.

Horvat looked the room over. "Anyone there?"

Wayne stepped out of the shadow fully masked but spoke in his natural tone. "Zdravo Zenga." (Hi Zenga.) He greeted.

Horvat frowned, rummaging his memory for that voice. Suddenly he stood slack-jawed. "Brutus? Ti si - Isuse..." (Brutus? You're the- Oh, Jesus…)

Wayne smirked. "Učio sam od najboljih". (I studied under the best.)

Horvat smirked in amusment for a moment, but soon turned serious. "Opet dolaze vanzemaljci?" (More aliens coming?)

The bat shook his head and plugged a chip into the terminal, beginning upload. "Terorist."

Horvat chuckled. "E, i?. Ovdje ih imamo svakodnevno." (So? We've got them here daily.)

Wayne shook his head. "Ovaj je gadan poput Darksidea." (This one's as bad as Darkside.)

The captain sucked in a hard breath. "Što ću s ovim…Demonovom Glavom'." (What should I do with this…Demon Head?) He looked down on the files recieved.

"Nađi glavni bazu, Prati ih, ali ne napadaj dok ne dođem." (Find his main base, follow them but don't attack until I arrive.)

"Kao čovjek ili zvjer?" (As a man or beast?) Horvat asked seriously.

"Kao duh." (As a ghost.) Wayne replied and hung up without warning.

Once alone in the room, an alien calm slipped into his mind. "Wally's fever reached critical."

…