Gotc: Hey y'all!!!! Well I've just been on a roughly four hour Weffriddle marathon kick, and had to do my disclaimer while I was on this high... My cuz is in the same room with me too, so we can only pray that reality doesn't come crashing down around us.
Cuz: SLIPPERS!!!!!! laughs uncontrollably falls off bed smashes cat
Ace: Oh dear god...There's two of you...whoever thought that it would be a good idea to mix genes of a insane asylum escapee, and a pyromaniac needs to be flattened by a steamroller and put through a fax machine to the President.
Gotc: And here I though you had a problem with authority... LET'S PLAY TWISTER!!!!
Ace: Maybe when hell freezes over.
Cuz: But it'll be fun!!!!OHPLEASEOHPLEASEOHPLEASEOHPLEASEOHPLEASEOHPLEASEOH-
Ace: I think I'm gonna need to be shot after this...SQUEAKY!!!! GET IN HERE AND DO THE DISCLAIMER BEFORE I BECOME A CONVICTED FELON!!!!
Squeaky: looks up from Twister Squeak?
Ace: smacks forehead with palm Fine...Gotc does not own JL, you people need to figure this out soon, cause if this goes on much longer, we're not gonna have an authoress...
ostrich pops up out of nowhere
Cuz: I WANNA RIDE IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Ace: I fear for mankind the day you two are old enough to drink...
Gotc: And hopefully you'll be there to see it. Have fun with the fic people!!!!
Rise of the Guardian: Ancient Power, Modern Age
CHAPTER 4: A Dark Motive
Batman pounded his fist in frustration on the control panel in front of him. The fact someone else was doing his job made things difficult enough, but sitting at a desk and doing a background while the others were putting themselves in danger was unbearable.
"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself about this," J'onn said materializing seemingly out of nowhere.
The Dark Knight glanced at his friend before going back to the screen in front of him.
"There's virtually nothing on Cooper," He said ignoring the comment, " A few articles from overseas papers, but not much else. He defiantly knows how to avoid attracting attention to himself."
J'onn looked over Batman's shoulder at the articles displayed on the screen. Few were in English, and all were more than a few years old.
"So Argon wasn't kidding when he said Ace dropped off the face of the Earth." Batman continued, "There's a gap of roughly a year in between the articles, but aside from that, nothing noteworthy at all."
" You should be resting you know."
"I'm fine."
"You don't look like it."
"I'm sitting in a chair, while everyone else is out on duty because I wasn't as careful as I should have been. That being said, I don't need someone else hovering over me just because I can't lift a car, or run across water." Batman growled at J'onn, "Now I've put most of these in chronological order, but some are still going through a translating program."
"What about this one?" J'onn said pointing to an article on the screen.
"I'm not sure yet, "Batman said looking at the one J'onn had pointed to, "It's in Japanese, so there's not much I can make out right now..."
He punched in something on the keyboard, and started running a translating program on it.
"It shouldn't take the computer long to finish this, but-"
The computer interrupted him in mid-sentence as it finished it's task. Batman and J'onn briefly skimmed the article, but it's headline gave them far more information: Participant killed during semi-finals of 42nd World Martial Arts Tournament.
The two looked at one another in disbelief.
" 'Tournament officials unable to release name or details of the fight which claimed the life of one of the tournament's first time participants?' " J'onn read out loud, "It almost sounds like they're trying to cover something up."
"That's nothing," Batman said with a frown, "Take a look at the date."
"This article..." J'onn said slowly as the realization sunk in, "Was written almost five years ago."
"Argon said Ace disappeared five years ago," Batman said resting his chin on his hands, "So this makes sense. According to this paper, whoever was killed was a first time participant, so he must have been good to have made it to the semi-finals. Guy like that's got to have a chance for the championship..."
"You think Ace killed him because he thought this person was a threat?" J'onn asked
"I think, we just found the reason why Ace Cooper disappeared five years ago."
"J'onn! Batman! Do you copy?" Superman's voice called in over the Watchtower's intercom.
"We're here," J'onn answered, "What's wrong?"
"Diana found Ace, but he figured her out," Superman explained, "We stepped in, but he managed to get away. Diana went after him, but we can't seem to reach her."
"I've traced her com-link to an abandoned industrial park about twenty blocks north-east of you," Batman cut-in, "J'onn and I will meet you there."
"Batman, are you sure you're-"
"I said we'll meet you there." Batman said before cutting off the link and heading to the Javelin bay, with J'onn close behind.
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The others soon caught up to Wonder Woman, and found her, on her knees staring off in the direction Ace had escaped in.
"Diana!" Superman called, "Are you alright?"
"Um, yes, I think I'm ok," She replied shakily, "But I couldn't stop him from getting away, I'm sorry."
The sound of the Javelin's engines caught everybody's attention, as it came in to land. Batman and J'onn stepped off, and joined the others.
"Are you ok?" Batman asked,.
"Yes I'm fine. I'm tougher than that, you know." She said with a half-hearted grin.
"So which way did he go?!" Flash said cracking his knuckles, "I want another shot at this guy. He won't be able to pull that trick again!"
"Calm down Flash," J'onn said stepping forward, "There's something I think you all should know before we decide to go after this man again."
"WHAT?!" Hawkgirl exclaimed after J'onn finished explaining what they had found in the Watchtower.
"J'onn you don't think that Cooper could have really..." Wonder Woman trailed off.
"The paper didn't give much for us to go on," Batman explained, "But it certainly looks that way."
"And he's loose in Gotham," Lantern said letting his ring glow green.
"Now we don't know anything for sure," Superman reasoned, "But we can't let him just walk away. We need to find him as soon as possible. Flash and Lantern, you check the streets and back alleys. Hawkgirl and I will go back to the apartment and see if he goes there."
"I'll take the Javelin and check the bay area," Batman said.
J'onn cast a sideways glance at Wonder Woman.
"Wonder Woman and I will follow the direction Ace left in then, "He piped up.
"Alright then," Superman said, "You all know where you're going, but this time, if you find him, don't engage him. Call for the rest of us and we'll go from there."
Everyone took off in their specified directions, and the Javelin vanished in the night sky. J'onn turned to Wonder Woman now wanting answers.
"There's something you're not telling us, "He accused her.
She looked at J'onn, her eyes acknowledging that what he said was true.
"Before Ace got away, he said something. I'm still not entirely sure...but I think it was in Atlantean., and it was about Argon."
"Do you think he's in danger?"
"Yes. I don't know everything he said, but I did recognize one word. Hali. It means monster."
"How can we be sure?"J'onn asked.
Wonder Woman sighed deeply and cast her eyes to the ground.
"I know where there may be some Atlantean text that could help us, but..."
"But?"
"It's on Theymascara. And the penalty that awaits me if I return, is death."
J'onn sighed. Things could never be easy.
"Diana. We need those text."
"I know." She said taking a deep breath, "We'd better hurry though. I'd rather the rest of the League not find out until we know anything for sure."
J'onn nodded, and took to the air, the both of them streaking towards the Amazonian island.
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A pair of eyes watcher the last of the League vacate the area from the shadows, and let out a breath.
"If I didn't know any better Argon," a voice said, "I'd say, that you're worried about the League."
"Hold your tongue, if you don't want a hole through it Zariah." He snarled back, "The League finding this place too soon would set us back farther than I care to be. We're already lagging as it is."
A young blonde stepped into the faint light of the moon, a cocky grin plastered on his face.
"Aww, come on Master. I meant nothing of it." He said, "If anything, I'd should be asking why we're wasting our time with this fool, and not simply taking what we need."
"You're far too inpatient," Argon sighed, "Never pass up an opportunity to learn a new skill, especially when the money's good. But I will agree with you. The pompous fool is wearing on my nerves, and I can only take so much..."
Zariah chuckled along with Argon.
"But I suppose we'll put up with him for a bit longer. After all, we wouldn't want to leave just when everything is falling nicely into place..."
Gotc: Yes!!!! I got one more in!!! Well, now I won't be able to post for quite some time, but I do have to thank Moogsthewriter again for giving me the inspiration to crank out this last chapter. So a big thanks!!!!!! Well I g2g, thx for reading! And I will see you all this summer!!!