Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or Justice League Unlimited. I write this for my own entertainment and the entertainment of others.
A to Z, an Anthology
Nuisance
He sat on the rooftop of WayneTech, peering toward the offices of one its neighboring skyscrapers from the shadows of the building. Commissioner Gordon's taskforce on a corporate espionage ring had received a tip that Vreeland Industries was the next target. Robin was doing the usual patrol of the city, making sure that the normal miscreants weren't neglected, and Batgirl was watching the building's north and east wings while Bruce himself watched the south and west.
It was the faint breeze that caught his attention. It wasn't natural, Bruce had enough experience to know when it was; the wind was man-made. It wasn't the chaotic whoosh created by Flash's high speeds, nor did he hear the quiet flapping of Shayera's wings. The breeze wasn't quite like the one J'onn or Clark or John generated. Few of the other League members hardly ever visited Gotham, so that left only one other probable culprit.
"Princess," he said irritably, without even bothering to turn around to face her, "I don't know why you're in my city, nor do I care at the moment. Go away."
That tone of voice would have sent most heroes scrambling, or at least nudged him into making a somewhat dignified exit. In the case of Diana, however, she just laughed.
She laughed. At him. The Batman.
Bruce growled and whirled around, intent on reiterating his order, only this time much more forcefully. Diana was several feet away from him, floating in the air, with a mischievous grin on her lips that would have put Wally to shame. "Diana," he snapped. "I am in the middle of –"
"– a mission, yes," she finished. "As am I."
He narrowed his eyes at her. "Not in my city, you're not."
She snorted. "Yes I am, since this espionage ring has been linked with similar groups in Metropolis, Boston, Central City, Los Angeles, and a host of other cities around the globe, and many of those groups have ties to LexCorp. Once Commissioner Gordon made the connection, he made a call to the League. You either get me, or Superman. We're the only ones available. Take your pick."
Damn it, Jim. Could have warned me, he thought crossly.
"So, the commissioner mentioned that Vreeland Industries was a probable hit?"
Bruce made a mental note to glare at Jim Gordon quite a bit next time they met. Enough to make the man nervous, anyway.
"Bruce," Diana said, now sounding a little annoyed herself, "that standing in the shadows and providing a menacing presence attitude isn't going to work. Plus, I just saw Charles Vreeland's office light up. Isn't he supposed to be in Brazil?"
Nuisance: n. someone or something irritating.