All of the Justice League members were at the horrifying scene in Metropolis by the time Batman and Batgirl arrived. "Wow," Coba stated with a small, grim grin. "We really need a faster Batmobile!"

Terry, for the first time since his argument with Coba a short while before, could not help but smile at the comment. "No kidding," he chuckled.

"Sorry, this is the only Batmobile available," Bruce's static-y voice said gruffly, not at all in an apologetic manner.

Explosions sounded from all over the city, calling the Bats back to attention. As the Batmobile flew by the burning buildings, Terry and Coba gasped at the horrific scene. "Jeez," Terry breathed.

"This sounds selfish," Coba said grimly, "but I'm glad this isn't Gotham right now."

McGinnis could not help but agree. "No kidding: Dana, Herbst- -I mean Ditto- -and Grayson would have their hands full trying to clean it up."

"No kidding," the girl agreed.

Superman flew towards the Batmobile, catching the siblings' attention. "Up there on the roof," he said urgently. "Stick with Warhawk, he needs your help." Without waiting for a response, the old hero flew away.

Batman steered the vehicle to a burning building with the text IMPERIAL written on the top of it. "Yeah, right, Warhawk," he muttered. "Our good buddy."

Warhawk broke through the building's rooftop door, allowing the many people who were in it to flee. Aircraft carriers met them on the roof. Men got out and helped the people to the vehicles before taking off again, some just narrowly missing the large explosion that came from the building. Warhawk had handed a baby to its relieved mother when a carrier's engine was caught in the blast, causing it to fall to the ground. The tough vigilante flew towards it and held up the damaged engine, allowing the carrier to land safely on a rooftop below.

"Building's empty," Barda's voice crackled through Stewart's com-link. "How's it going?"

"There's still two more on the roof," Warhawk replied urgently.

"We got 'em."

The voice belonged to Batman, who was, along with Batgirl, gliding two people to the other rooftop Warhawk had the hover craft land on. "Finally, you made yourselves useful," the metallic hero said gruffly.

"Made myself useful earlier, remember?" Coba pointed out with a smirk as the woman she saved hugged her.

Warhawk looked at Coba, grinned a little, then looked back up at the sky. "I'm gonna follow that signal," he announced.

Terry looked at him quizzically, suddenly distracted from the man he rescued shaking his hand. "What signal?"

"An emergency signal," Warhawk said rather erratically. "Didn't you hear it?"

"I heard it," Coba volunteered. "It was on the JLU frequency."

"I had it on, but I didn't hear it," Terry confessed. "I'll go with you, though."

"You two stay here," Rex snapped. "I don't need amateurs tagging along." He flew away before any of the teens could argue.

Something seemed to hit Coba like a blow to the stomach. "Something's not right," she murmured to Terry. "I'm going after him." She drew out her gliders and allowed her rocket launchers to push her up off the roof. "Warhawk, hold up!" she called urgently.

Batman knew something was wrong, especially by the tone of his sister's voice. He pushed a button on his utility belt, causing the Batmobile to fly his direction. He jumped in as it went by. Warhawk and Coba flew past him just then. Terry stopped the vehicle and turned it to chase after them.

"What's your problem, psychic sidekick?" Warhawk growled at Batgirl.

For the second time that day, Coba shot the large hero a fierce Batglare. "Something's wrong, Warhawk," she said urgently. "You and I both heard the signal, but Batman didn't hear it." Something caught her eye, causing her eyes to grow wide with terror. "Oh no," she gasped.

Warhawk saw what had just disturbed Brooklyn. A missile was flying directly towards the city! He looked back at Coba as they flew after it. "I'll take care of it," he stated. "Head for cover!"

Coba, despite her initial shock at the sight of the item of war, shook her head stubbornly. "And leave you behind when it's likely you'll die? Not a chance. Besides," she added seriously, "I've got a better idea..."

Terry could only watch anxiously from the Batmobile as the two vigilantes flew after the missile. Oh please let them get this thing without trouble, he begged in his mind.

Rex Stewart's armor tracted out to completely cover his powerful body while Batgirl adjusted her suit's settings to better keep out some of the high levels of radiation that may have been emanating from the missile. Both of the heroes flew directly in front of the missile before shoving with all of their might at the weapon's upper part. Just as when it seemed that all hope was lost, they flipped the missile towards the sky.

Batman could not help but smile in relief. "Nice save," he commented.

Perched on the missile, Warhawk gave Batman a thumbs up. A pit formed in McGinnis's stomach. Where's Coba?

The missile suddenly exploded, sending Warhawk's helmet crashing into the Batmobile's windshield. The blast sent the vehicle spiraling to the ground. Terry could just barely control it enough to not land upside down on the cement road below. Once the explosion of shrapnel was over, he jumped out of the Batmobile and picked up Warhawk's severed helmet. Aquagirl ran towards the scene in a hurry. Batman allowed her to take the mask from him to look at it herself. "Warhawk!" Marina gasped sadly, falling to her knees in grief.

Big Barda and Kai-Ro landed on either side of Terry. "What did you do?" Barda asked accusingly.

Batman took a step back from the large woman. "He and Batgirl got a call for help on the JLU frequency," he answered anxiously. "We were following it when- -"

"Who sent it?" Kai-Ro inquired once he was knelt down to comfort the grief-stricken Aquagirl. "I didn't get any signal." He looked at Aquagirl. "Did you?"

Aquagirl did not answer, but it was clear in her eyes that she had not received a signal.

Realization struck Terry like a hammer to a nail. "Only Warhawk and Batgirl heard it," he said gravely.

Barda glowered at the teen. "We only have your word for that," she growled, "don't we?"

Superman hovered down towards them. "Back off, Barda," he ordered. "Accusations won't get us anywhere." He glanced around at each of the remaining team members. "When we find out who set the bombs, we'll find out who killed Warhawk." He looked down at Terry, more solemn than ever. "I'm sorry, Batman, but I found your sister lying in a pool of blood with no signs of life. I'm afraid she's gone."

Those words hit McGinnis like a punch below the stomach. "No..." he breathed sadly. It can't be true! He looked back up at Superman. "Where is she?" he inquired.

"Right next to the 'Imperial' building," Kal-El replied.

Without saying a word, Batman flew up into the air and glided at top speed towards the building the old hero mentioned. He watched the passing sidewalk until he came to a stop in front of the damaged building at the sight of a large puddle of blood. He landed next to it and placed a finger in it. Terry examined the blood closely as the rest of the League stopped behind him. He noticed a trail of blood leading down a beaten alleyway. "She's still alive!" he announced.

"Not for much longer, I'm afraid," Superman said gravely. "She's lost a lot of blood."

"It's mostly fake blood," Batman explained. "Only ten percent of it is hers. She installed a mechanism in her suit that allows her to spill out the fake stuff and momentarily stop her pulse to make her seem dead until her supposed killer has left. It's a tactic we've learned from the original Batman."

"Very clever," Kai-Ro commented with a grin. "I like it."

Superman still remained serious. "It's not safe for her to be out there alone," he said urgently. "I'm going to look for her."

"I'll look, too," Marina announced.

Barda scowled. "Why waste time looking for a lying runt like her?"

To everyone's surprise, Aquagirl glared at her teammate. "Hey, that 'lying runt' saved my life when you stood doubting Batman's warnings about my predicament," she snapped. "If you're not going to look for her, shut your mouth about it!"

Wonder Woman fumed, but she did not say a word.

"I'll look, too," Kai-Ro volunteered. "I have no reason to dislike her, and I believe Superman was right to let her and Batman join." He glanced at Superman sternly. "Although we would have appreciated being contacted about it first."

Clark nodded before looking at Batman. "We'll find her," he told the teen. "You head back to the cave and figure out what's been going on."

Terry shook his head. "I can't leave without her," he said stubbornly.

"Yes, you can," Superman countered, softening his gaze. "She'll be alright: we'll make sure of it."

Although he was not feeling very comforted by the old hero's words, Batman gave in. "Okay, but let me know when you find her."

~!~

Back at the Batcave, Bruce was repeatedly looking over the video clips from the Batmobile's hidden camera. "What do you expect to find?" Terry inquired.

"If I knew I wouldn't have to look for it," Bruce gruffly replied.

Another repeat of the explosion that supposedly consumed Warhawk occurred. "He never had a chance," Terry said sadly. "It must've had a timer or somethin'."

Bruce took in the boy's words before sitting up and typing vigorously at the keyboard. "Maybe. Freeze-frame," he commanded the computer as the explosion hit its maximum force. "Reverse." The clip played backward. "Frame speed: 1 per second." The clip played very slowly. "Freeze." Clip stopped. "Spectral filters." The clip turned a brilliant bright green, then bright red, then bluish-gray. "Stop." Clip stopped once more.

Both Batmen were appalled by what they saw: a red laser touching the missile. "Look at that," Bruce said in surprise, pointing at the screen. "It was detonated from a remote position by some kind of ray."

"But who?" Terry pondered aloud.

"Shift view sixty-degrees left," Wayne commanded the computer. The clip seemed to zoom out, then stop at a building. "Close in." A rectangular box focused aroundthe building's rooftop.

Terry's eyes grew wide. "Superman!" he breathed. He was silent for a moment, fighting back tears of confusion. "Superman's the traitor."

"Or as Coba had predicted, an instrument in something big," Bruce stated. He became even more concerned. "Didn't you say Superman and the others went looking for her?"

"Yes. Why- -oh no," McGinnis gasped in despair. How could I have left my own sister out there after she said Kal-El's up to something, let alone when one of the League members could've been the traitor?! Some Batman I make. His eyes shifted into a glare as he turned around and pulled his mask over his face.

"Where are you going?" Bruce asked concernedly.

"I have to go back," the young Batman replied, his voice dripping with disdain. "I have to warn them, and find Coba before Superman does."

Bruce nodded sagely. "You have to do more than that," he said gruffly. He pulled a lever, causing the cases holding the different Batsuits to split apart. Bruce stood up from the computer chair and walked into the opened chamber. A machine came up from the floor. The old man approached it and placed a hand on each green screen before a scanner scanned him from bottom to top. There was a beep, and the scanner fell back into the floor. A claw-like device handed a small case to Bruce. "This isn't the first time Superman's gone rogue," he said, turning away from the machine and walking to Terry, "so I made sure I'd be ready if it ever happened again. I always hoped I'd never have to use it."

Terry looked at the small box as Wayne opened it, shocked when the contents let out a light of lime green. "Kryptonite," he said in surprise. He pulled out the small green shard with a small device from his belt. "This could kill him, right?" he asked uncomfortably.

The old Dark Knight seemed to glare. "Do whatever it takes," he said gruffly. "But make sure you stop him."

McGinnis knew better than to argue with Bruce at a time like this. He had the whole world instead of Gotham on his shoulders, and he knew Coba could not fend for herself against the Man of Steel for very long. I let Coba down earlier when I didn't listen to her, he thought grimly. I can't let her down again.

Author's Notes:

Yes, Coba's still alive, but will she be saved in time? Will she somehow get out of her mess by herself? Or will she be killed by Superman? Okay, I have to be honest: her being killed is likely to not happen, otherwise the story would no longer be Batgirl of the Future. This chapter really shows Terry learning the hard way about not listening to his sister's warnings. Will he trust her instincts after this? Maybe, even I'm not sure. Please leave a review in the box below (it doesn't matter if you're a member of FanFiction or a guest).