Author's Update: I needed to revise this chapter since I kind of messily introduced certain characters and scenarios. So I cleaned up the discussion about other League members that will be in the story. I introduced too many characters initially and didn't explain it well in my opinion. So I've left it a little lose ended still but given enough explanation so that it doesn't look like I've pulled it out of nowhere when they finally enter the story.
The new parts begin with 'Barda will come-' and end with 'Ohh that monk guy-'. Thanks for reading and new chapters are coming I just have to edit more carefully.
2 Days prior to the Amazon punch out extravaganza
The Dark Knight had gotten old. The years were never kind, and it seemed the trend wouldn't break. He was the first to openly rebel from the world's anti-superhero sanctions. He'd gone as far as fight his own local government and take over his city. His batfamily remained loyal to him and they were the backbone of his rebellion. Some of the older heroes had joined him, but they all were getting to old to die young. A new team was needed, a new league needed to unite if the world would be pulled from the brink of madness.
After the sanctions and the excommunication of Superman by the world chaos had reigned supreme. Villains were ordered to stand down or be killed. Civil liberties were being stepped on in every city and every country. You would think that the villains would have taken over and ruled the world with an iron fist. Then the heroes would be called to action again. But the governments of the world banded together to take control back and defeat their common enemy, freedom. No government can control its populace completely while freedom is allowed. The heroes and villains were just the start. Soon everyday people were being pulled off the street for "suspicious activity" but were never given a trial. Preventive crime operations rose in activity to sustain the "peaceful" state of the world. Citizens were fed the same sensationalistic crap over and over, so they would trust the government and blindly support their leaders who "kept them safe".
A handful of cities, including Gotham, rejected this new world order and continued democracy. But now there was only Gotham and its territories, which was protected by the Batman and his Dark Knights. The new world government tried and would keep trying to overtake Gotham since it was the last bastion of freedom. But as long as Gotham's Dark Knights drew breath the city would be free.
Here was the Batman now, his muscles were tired from years of overexertion, sitting in his cave for the millionth time wondering where it all went wrong. He knew when of course, he was Batman, but he needed to know how to change it. The old times would never return, but these new times needed to die as well. What he needed was a force of nature. Something elemental that couldn't be stopped in its pursuit of truth and justice. Luckily, he now knew where to find just that.
Finding Superman was an easy task. Bruce knew Kent almost better than Kent knew himself. He knew Kent wouldn't leave for New Krypton. He knew he would stay and beat himself up till he lost it. Bruce knew that because that was what he would have done. When it happened, when the world watched Superman brutally kill for his family, Bruce was the first to succumb to paranoia. He had gone through something similar with Jason Todd, the second Robin. He thought Kent would become unhinged after killing the Luthor-Brainiac being, but he was wrong. He had always said that the main difference between him and Kent was that Kent was a good person deep down and Bruce deep down was not. He wondered what it felt like to be rid of Luthor. To be rid of someone who caused so much pain to you and your loved ones because you ended them. He was jealous truthfully, but he would never admit that to anyone.
He sent a distress signal on every old emergency system the league had used so he could hold a meeting. The league needed to come back, but more importantly he needed to find her. The Wonder Woman herself was the only way he could get to Kent before the world government took complete control. She retreated to Themyscira years ago, but he liked the chances of her still having her communicator.
A slight purr behind him broke his intense focus. "Mmmm you know for a billionaire you wake up entirely too early in the morning." Selina Kyle purred disapprovingly at her lover's late night into early morning antics.
"It's time. We need him." Bruce only stared forward as he watched the morning reports come in. He wanted to know his Knights were okay before he tried sleeping again.
"How will you reach him?" Selina knew better by now than to tell Bruce he couldn't get something done.
"I won't. She will." Bruce nodded toward an old roster picture of Diana on the screen. Selina was interested now, she had missed the spirited discussions she would get into with Amazon. They talked about everything and had become close after the boy scout and Diana got married. Especially since their nuptials inspired a certain bat to propose to his cat. Bruce and Selina finally stopped doing their dance after a close run in with Bane. Bruce decided he could be happy just this once and Selina agreed.
"How will you get to her then? Isn't she in Paradise still?" Selina stretched out into his lap as she poked and prodded him for his plan.
"She has the old communicator, and it'll broadcast the emergency frequency through those damned magical barriers at least once." Bruce gritted his teeth and hoped he was right. Plan B was actually getting to Paradise Island and he couldn't afford to leave Gotham.
"What about the rest of them? Think they'll answer?" She lightly scratched at the stubble he accumulated from not shaving recently.
"Barda will come, she loves a good fight. Arthur and Mera won't but their daughter Serenity might. The king and queen of Atlantis have signed non-contact clauses with the surface world, but their daughter is unknown, so she can get away with being on the surface. Anyone else is up in the air. I know Kyle and Donna's son is in Central City, but he hasn't indicated that he wanted to join the resistance. Hopefully he will join us now. I guess it will be up to me and whatever we can muster together to get Wally." He tried to find the other possibilities but that was all that was certain for now.
Selina gave him a confused looked "Wally? Did I miss something? Wally died years, ago didn't he?"
Bruce pulled some files onto the screen. "Wally West's death was faked. The robbery was staged and the bullet was a tranquilizer. He currently is being held and used as a power source for the parts of the country we don't control. I think they are using Linda against him. So we have to find her and keep her safe first."
"What about Kyle and Donna's son? What's his deal?"
"Donna and Kyle had him before our last battle with Darkseid. They fell in the battle and he was being raised by Wally and Linda before his powers started manifesting. He can manipulate the emotional spectrum like any lantern would, except he can harness all 7 of the different spectrums without a ring. Eventually he started seeking help with control, but when he was rejected by the Green Lanterns he went elsewhere on Earth to meditate and gain control of his emotions." Bruce's file on Alan Rayner-Troy pops up and Selina recognizes the face.
"Ohh, that monk guy you introduced me too a few years ago? He was nice and kinda cute." Bruce gave Selina a scowl and she smiled. She loved poking her bat and making him to react to her.
"So, your new softball team have a name yet? Assuming they show up anyways."
"Justice League still works, but the name isn't as important as the goal."
Selina begins to doze off in his lap. "Well wake me up when the party starts, not that I don't enjoy hearing your best laid plans at 5 in the morning."
Bruce let her comment slide. All of it meant nothing if they couldn't get Kent. Maybe he could send his kids to find Diana. Cassandra was always a good tracker and Tim never needed much to go on to work a theory. Of course, the true hunter among the group was Damian. He was trained to lock onto a target and find it for extermination. With the league of Assassins supposed destruction his son had made his way to him, angry and distraught with red in his eyes. Quelling the beast within him took time, but luckily for all of them Bruce had time to teach his son. He had time to be the father Damian needed and provide him with a support system that would love him.
His mind drifted to Lara, Kent and Diana's daughter. She was the most powerful child in the world by now. He would need to be prepared for the Kryptonian-Amazon hybrid if he planned on seeking Diana out, who was a handful on her own. She would be 10 by now and just hitting her power curve at an exponential rate. What kind of powers would the mix of a Goddess and an all powerful Kryptonian have? He shuddered at the thought of her on the wrong side.
