Standstill

November 9th, 2014.

"ROB!" Wally yelled when the computer lost the signal and the screen went black. Superman quickly typed in different actions, but none of them brought back the feed.

"All signals surrounding Gotham is out of order. The only one still operating are the one Bane controls." his eyes were sad, as he turned to the others. "I'm sorry it doesn't seem like there's anything we can do."

"What do you mean, nothing we can do! You are the justice league!" Wally yelled. "We've got to help him!"

Flash stepped in, cutting off his nephew "It's not like we don't want to. But Wally, you have to see the big picture! I know Robin is your friend.." at this Wally stopped yelling, and stared down at the floor instead. Some friend he'd been lately. ".. and you want to help him. But right now we have a hostage situation, concerning millions of people. No matter how important Robin is to us personally, our first and most important task will be to figure out how to help the hostages."

"How?" asked M'gann, joining the conversation. "I mean, they control everything. Even I can't get in. It's not just meta humans and heroes they've banned. It's everybody. If the population number is to get bigger by just one, the whole city will be destroyed."
Flash didn't have an answer and looked at Superman, desperation waving of him. "Supes?"
Superman looked at the other leaguers. "We have to go to the Watchtower. The rest of the League should be informed, and from there we'll take a course of action." he looked at the team.

"You are coming with us."

oOo

He closed his eyes. He couldn't watch anymore.

The pain in his back was overcome by the intense grief and fear in his heart.

Was Dick still in Gotham? Or had he been at Mount Justice? He didn't even know what he wished. He wanted his ward, his son, to be safe at Mount Justice, under the protection of the League. And yet, a Gotham without Batman and Robin.. there would be nothing and no one to stop the criminals from tearing down the city.

He clenched his fists, ignoring the blinding pain tearing through his body. He wished his son was still in Gotham.

He was not human.

oOo

"Please, everybody, calm your selves!" Superman yelled, trying to get the gathered members of the Justice League under control.

Which was an easier said than done. After the few leaguers and the Team had zeta'd to the Watchtower, they had been met with almost every member of the league demanding to be told what was going on, not to mention the rapid calls from governments from all around the world.

It had been going on almost half an hour. The Team had located themselves in a corner, trying to stay out of the way while Superman, Flash, J'ohn and Wonder Woman tried to get everybody under control and call in those few missing. All the while Kid Flash was pacing back and forth, a worried look on his face. A look matched by the rest of the Team. Miss Martian had her hands on Beast Boys shoulders. It was the young shapeshifters first visit to the Watchtower, and that combined with the thing in Gotham seemed to have put him a little bit off his game.

Superboy was scowling in the corner, unhappy that so many people was ignoring Superman's attempts to get everything under control. Artemis was watching Wally, her arms crossed, her face calm but her eyes worried.

A few more minutes went by, before Superboy stepped forward.

"HEY!" he screamed, while putting his food down so hard it caused the entire satellite to shake.

Kid Flash briefly wondered, as he saw Martian Manhunter take off, if the clone had caused the Watchtower to go out of orbit. Which couldn't be good. His focus turned back to the now silent leaguers who all were watching the angered Superboy. Superman gave his clone a small smile.

"Thank you." Superman said then turned his attention to the Leaguers.

"As all off you may have heard, a few hours ago the city of Gotham was taken hostage by the villain known as Bane. Details are still be sorted out, and we haven't heard much else than you."

"But you have heard some?" Hawkman asked, his arms folded and face dark. Superman shared a look with Wonder Woman.

"Robin managed to get a com link to Mount Justice before all the signals was cut off. He couldn't tell us much that Bane hadn't already explained himself.."

".. yeah, except the fact that Batman possible is dead.." mumbled Kid Flash, stopping beside Artemis. She shot him a reassuring look. "We don't know that. Just because that's what Catwoman said, doesn't mean it's true."

"What of Batman? Any word from him?" asked Green Lantern, voicing what the other leaguers all thought. "He can't remain silent during something like this!"

"We.. we don't know where Batman is." Superman answered, his voice solemn.
A shocked silence filled the conference hall.

"Explain, please." said Atom, stepping forward.

"As I said, Robin managed to contact us. He told us, that he'd fished the burglar known as Catwoman out of Gotham Bay this morning, more dead than alive due to her long stay in the cold water. She would had died, if Robin hadn't been out in the city looking for Batman, who had been absent for several days. She told him about Bane, how her and Batman had followed him to the underground of Gotham only to be ambushed. She managed to escape, but Batman wasn't so lucky."

Superman looked dead serious, his eyes narrow in anger. "Robin or Catwoman don't know what happened to Batman after she got away. But as of now we operate out from the assumption that Batman has been killed by Bane."

The shocked faces of the entire Justice League mirrored the same disbelief Superman and the other leaguers' faces had held, when they heard this news first at Mount Justice. Batman, dead? The very idea seemed so ridiculous, so surreal that most of them half expected Superman to laugh and tell them that it all was a joke. But no laughter emerged, no smiles from the leaders to break the tension.

"Then.. what now?" asked Aquaman. Wonder Woman stepped forward.

"As of now, there isn't much we can do. Robin confirmed our fear – Bane has the entire city accounted for. The zeta tubes has been deactivated, making it impossible to aid Robin and Gotham. We can't risk entering the city from either water, ground or air – the risk of Bane setting of the bomb is too big and we can't sacrifices the lives of twelve million people."

"So, we do nothing?!" Hawkwoman demanded, disbelief in her voice. Wonder Woman looked grave.

"It isn't with our good will. But we simply can't risk it. If Bane had given the trigger to the bomb to just one, then maybe we could've. But with so many people capable of destroying the entire city.. we can't risk it." Hawkwoman mumbled, agreeing but not with her goodwill.

"Our primarily target right now is the location of Batman." Flash filled in, stepping up besides Superman. He activated the computer, allowing the entire league to follow on the screen.

"I received this from Agent A a few minutes ago. Sadly he couldn't tell me much about what Batman had been investigating. It seems Batman has been playing this one rather close to his chest, seeing as neither Robin or Agent A was informed about it. But, what you are looking at here.." a map showed up on the screen. ".. is a map pinpointed with all locations Batman has been showing interest in over the last six months. Since we have no idea who Bane is working for, this is so far our only clue to where Batman might be." Flash explained.

"The Justice League will continue to serve justice in everything country on earth that asks for our help. Do not loose your focus because of this terrorist act." Superman informed, looking around at the gathered people.

"You'll each get assigned locations to check out and/or keep watch on. The leaders will be the only ones directly involved in this, and only we will communicated to the press and politicians and who else who might ask questions about what we are doing about this."

Superman turned to the Team. "Since you don't have a leader right now you'll each get assigned to your mentor – Beast Boy will be together with Miss Martian and Martian Manhunter. You'll get briefed afterwards on you jobs."

Superman overlooked the League. "Is everything clear?"

"Sure sure but.." said Black Canary, placing her hands on her hips. ".. correct me if I am wrong. But does this mean that we as of now have given a seventeen year old boy the responsibility of handling a hostage situation involving twelve million people?"

Wonder Woman nodded, her face grim. "We aren't more happy about this than you. But yes, for the moment .. The leaguers and the Team looked at each other, the uneasiness keeping them from speaking.

"...Robin is alone."

Sorry about the wait. Life kinda happened.

I hope that everyone gets that the zeta tubes aren't operational and that the league won't under any circumstances enter the city.

I hope to post some more in the next week. Since Christmas is now over, and the fact that I won't return to work until January 7st I surely have the time.

Hope all of your had a nice Christmas!