General Wade Eiling, career soldier and firm believer in notions that costumes are running the country into the gutter. Personal interpretations of the things we do, maybe even Question does are debatable, but there are things that happen in this 'country' that have nothing to do with the League or Question. The lack of an apparent villain appears to turn everyone against everyone else, but this is not new at all either.

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."

The ever insightful Oscar Wilde resurfaces though of course literature is part of the human condition for that is where the examination of existence and essence begins as well as ends. Everything comes full circle as threads loop their way back to the source, but of course only it is only a supposition. It could turn out differently this time though only time will tell on that front. The absence of a world in peril factor left all will time to brood about to move on after the Thanagarian Occupation because it is the first time that the League 'fails' the world as well as 'betrays' by association. The world leaders put their trust in the League and the League put their trust In Hawkgirl's faith in her 'commander's' leadership.

[+++]

Commander Hro Talak was until the Thanagarian Occupation, the first lover of now disgraced and exiled Shayera Hol. Batman was dead on the money to be suspicious that a Gordanian Cruiser too conveniently appeared over D.C. just before the Thanagarian Fleet arrived and shot the vessel down. The cardinal rule about coincidences is that they happen, but one should never believe them. An autopsy of a Gordanian corpse taken from the cruiser's D.C. crash site revealed that the Gordanians were dead long before the Cruiser made its appearance over D.C.

Batman likely from that confirmation went undercover to find out why the Thanagarians are really here, but of course his infiltration did not go unnoticed for long. Human works at the construction site radio in that the Hawkmen had attacked the League. The NATO combat assets scramble to assist, but the Thanagarians had the technological edge. They were also armed with the knowledge of how to capture the League minus their loyal Shayera Hol. However the League was not alone in the sweep to contain all possible resistance. The Hawkmen went after every costume they had come into contact with during their time on Earth though of course Question barely managed to elude them because if they could disable the League, what was the point in engaging them alone?

Other costumes fought back and went down as easily as the League yet the League escaped from custody somehow. One could imagine Wonder Woman would have been furious to say the least with Hawkgirl. Green Lantern was probably already mixed up after the revelations about his new lover's past including the extent of her involvement with Talak. She is also the one who made the introductions between Talak and the World's Leaders. Video footage of that meeting showed her with such pride that some would say could only come from being in love. Her loyalties were divided between the League and Hro Talak, between Earth and Thanagar, but of course she defaults to the latter as she did not have cause to initially doubt Talak's mission.

The experiences that followed that night would change everything for her, for the League, for Earth, and more.

[+++]

The catch nowadays is that the world is not jeopardy, which affords entities like Cadmus with another clincher, but then when the world or someone cries out for hero, who will answer the call?

A Justice League and a Cadmus come into conflict not because the two cannot play along to get along, but because the two do not trust the world in the hands of the other. The fear of the other is as old as humanity though the tools and more so the weapons have come along way from carved stones. The realization of possibilities is within humanity's grasp yet the 'conscience' is always trailing behind it as for once those childhood fables or fairy tales are nothing more than ink on paper.

The Dark Heart situation awakened the world and Cadmus to the Watchtower II's super weapon, a binary fusion gun, which despite being a powerful weapon could not stop the Dark Heart. It took the talents of Ray Palmer aka The Atom in tandem with dozens of Justice League members to shut it down. The Batwing would undoubtedly need a replacement and quite frankly it is not surprisingly how many times one of Batman's vehicles has been in need of repair or replacement, but then this line of work is always dangerous. As for the remains of the Dark Heart technology, all of it is in the possession of the government or more likely hidden away in some Cadmus R&D facility.

[+++]

Question accompanies Batman during the trip to infiltrate the house of one Amanda Waller who is the latest link to Cadmus and Batman is still keeping secrets from him. Question is certain of that and decides it does have something to do with those doppelgangers. The Thanagarian Occupation is piece of what motivates the expanded Justice League yet take the flip side of the coin, that being Cadmus, what else besides Superman's rogue incident motivates them. It always comes back to the doppelgangers and the noticeable differences in costume as well as demeanor plus who is missing from the battle that night.

"Batman I think you should see this"

Any news dealing with Luthor assuredly ensnares Superman and there is more to it than them having history. Luthor's pardon as many had heard results from assistance that he lent in helping the League apprehend unnamed assailants during an attack on the maximum security facility used to house the League's recurring foes.

There is also a gap in camera footage typically kept by such prisons. What is more is that repairs were made to prison within days of this incident yet there is no record of any damage nor requests for repair crews. It is as if someone is trying to conceal whatever took place there on the night in question and furthermore this occurs only hours after the Superman doppelganger lobotomized the gray skinned behemoth.

The behemoth also disappears without a trace yet the video footage, which had been nigh impossible to track down reveals that none of the doppelgangers could hold their own against this walking wrecking ball. The Superman doppelganger burns through the behemoth's forehead with heat vision plus the attack is quick as well as precise like a scalpel. Superman from all the footage Question had seen of him only made use of heat vision as a last resort yet never as a weapon to maim someone or something.

What would it take to push Superman to do such a thing or even someone that looks like him?

Luthor's ace in the hole is what happened that evening because he would have seen them together, the so-called real Justice League and those masquerading as them. Cadmus is afraid of what would or will happen if the League starts behaving like the doppelgangers. They did disable the behemoth yet not before sizable damage is done to the surrounding area plus a monorail almost went off the tracks with dozens of passengers aboard it if not for the timely intervention by the Wonder Woman doppelganger. These doppelgangers were obviously also out of practice yet each tries to cover up that they have not had a fight like that one in some time, another clue to be sure.

They are obviously not clones so what were they then?

Batman exits the Batmobile and begins his sweep to make a stealth infiltration of Waller's home. Batman also left his comlink behind on purpose, but of course Question still possesses other ways to find out what Batman would discuss with Waller. He is inside for some time and they are obviously talking about the incident that is the focus of the tangent regarding Cadmus' fears as well as how it ties into all their operations regarding the Justice League. Question's comlink goes off as the Martian is calling for Batman and since he is unable to raise him since it rests inactive in the driver's seat.

"Batman is a little busy at the moment; I'll let him know you were calling J'onn."

"See that you do Question, there is a situation building up at San Banquero as the island's volcano is due to erupt in a matter of hours. A plan to evacuate the populace and stem the eruption's impact on the island is already in the works."

"Why bother Batman with this when there are others who are probably closer?"

"Standard Operating Protocol, he prefers to be kept in the loop even if he is not on the scene."

"Figures… well like I said I'll let him know…"

The message ends only moments before the retractable hood shifts back and Batman climbs back inside. Waller undoubtedly had plenty to say and so did Batman, but neither appear to have backed down. They return to Gotham and then after locking away the Batmobile, Batman signals for a teleport to the Watchtower though Question in a word hitches a ride as he calls for a teleport only a few seconds later.

[+++]

The seven converge on the entrance to the rumored Founders' Conference room, which implies that Waller said certain things that invites the need for such a meeting while Waller herself is likely conducting something similar back at Cadmus.

"Secret meetings... what a non-surprise," comments Huntress.

"Guess you heard about it too… doesn't surprise me how accurate the rumor mill up here can be."

"There is a rumor mill up here?" chuckles Huntress.

"This is about more than just the impending eruption at San Banquero, but of course those seven are not going to say anything further."

"You knot your tie tighter than usual today?" jests Huntress.

"No, I mean no one does that unless they want die of asphyxiation."

She can be witty yet this situation with Cadmus is no laughing matter plus if Question and Batman have only begun to figure out anything about Cadmus, it means nobody else believes or wants to suspect that some covert or unofficially sanctioned agency is keeping tabs on them. Superman, Wonder Woman, and Flash accompany the League members being sent to San Banquero though of course there is a visible annoyance in the Kryptonian's facial expression though he tries to bury it. The less one covers on their face, the more one worries about what others are reading from it, which of course contradicts the saying less is more at least with facial language.

If the situation were not being what is now, Batman might have made a wry grin seeing him standing next to Huntress and he might return the favor by jesting at the fact that she is going on a mission with other men. Today is not a day for verbal sparring for him or Batman.

"You enjoy verbal spars with Bruce don't you?" quips Huntress.

"It seems secret identities aren't what they used to be, are they Helena?" retorts Question.

"So that makes you the unknown man for… only question is who is Question?"

"There is more to it than that Huntress."

"Some women might dig mysterious or faceless, but see, I prefer the direct approach. I think Wonder Woman does too, but Batman being the kind of man he is, she is waging a one sided fight to convince him otherwise. Only he can change his mind and he does not do that very often."

"Very perceptive for you though I had come to a similar conclusion years ago."

"You like to get there first too… you don't like leaving anything to chance or variable."

"You aren't the only one who can read body language especially if you spent so much time trying to read mine."

Question feigning disinterest in the conversation's shift of towards his intentions as well as hers begins to slip away yet she does not follow, at least not yet anyway.

[+++]

As for San Banquero everything appears to be going smoothly until contact is cut off with Superman just moments after an unidentified craft penetrates the air space above the island. Superman would attempt something similar to what he did at Ayers Island several years ago except instead of neutralizing nuclear reactors remnants; he would be diffusing the lava flow so that it would go as straight as possible to the ocean. It is a sound plan, but one not that did not account for the gray behemoth being on the loose again. The Watchtower's satellites detect a missile on course for the island not long after contact with Superman is lost.

"There is an inbound missile heading for San Banquero," says J'onn.

Batman almost immediately contacts Waller and demands that the missile attack be aborted so she does attempt to abort it, but of course it is out of range and Eiling had made the call with the intention of getting rid of Superman, Doomsday, and the island's drug trade. Question follows Batman straight down to the Javelin Bays, but of course the former seals the Javelin's entry points the instant he is at the controls. Question falls back once figuring that Batman intends to have the Javelin drop straight down full knowing that the multirole craft is not designed for that kind of reentry yet one is also thinking this is the same man who took a space station out of orbit to smash it into a bypass generator.

Question only briefly considers does Batman… does Bruce… have a death wish?

It does not appear to be that, he just believes that he is the only one that can divert the missile even though by powers alone both Flash and Wonder Woman are faster. Question notices that Huntress had come down here too, but this only happens after she heard about what Batman is doing to divert the missile, she thought might see the start of it perhaps.

"Word got around that Batman is gonna try to redirect a missile," comments Huntress.

"I have a feeling the missile is intended for something a little more specific than having Batman lead it away from an island that is about to heat up in more ways than one," remarks Question.

"What are you getting at?"

"The missile if J'onn told me right is spiking, as in radioactive spiking."

"What?"

"Kryptonite radiation to be precise as far as radiation type goes in this pickle."

"Someone is targeting Superman, how is that news?"

"It is news because they think that firing a missile at him will also get rid of the behemoth he is fighting in the bowels of the island's volcano."

They race back to the Monitor Hub and most of the screens above or around J'onn consoles are keeping tabs on San Banquero. Waller did not register as the type to order this kind of strike, but then people's predilections like their intentions are not always as transparent as they appear to be no matter how close an eye is kept on them or him or her. Batman's Javelin latches onto the missile after the countermeasures fail to alter its course. There is no way to raise Batman, no way to determine if he could have gotten out from up here, and so they would have to wait and wonder if he would survive the feat he just undertook to skewer a missile.

[+++]

San Banquero is now a dead rock thanks to the eruption, but of course the upset or the blame from a technical standpoint is the behemoth. The lava as nearly as Question could tell probably had encased the behemoth in the rock once the rock itself got cool enough. Another secret Founders meeting, this time without Batman, decides the fate of this 'interloper' and so another dead end in trying to resolve questions about the entity as well as why Cadmus had made him. There is no doubt that this being is another one of Cadmus' pet projects. Superman after beaming up after the fight barely looks capable of doing anything except going to the infirmary.

He'll recover whereas Batman's… Bruce's injuries will take longer and so Question decides to try to eavesdrop on an infirmary visit between Superman and Batman. He only hopes that Superman's super hearing or any number of vision types did not expose him. There is definitely an argument going on between them, they have been known to disagree in the past, but this is different, definitely different. Perhaps this will unravel some of the mystery surrounding this Doomsday as well as those doppelgangers that had something do with Luthor's pardon as well as part of why Cadmus is doing what it is doing even now.

"Passing judgment like gods, with our super-powered army and our orbiting death ray... Cadmus is right to be scared. The human race wouldn't stand a chance," snaps Batman.

Question in the dark somewhere nearby dryly smirks then holds back a frown, so now Batman… Bruce is beginning to consider the other side's view of the League despite how paranoid it sounds at least if the other side's worst fears ever gain realization.

"We'd never go there. It isn't in our nature and nothing can change that," responds Superman.

Superman is one to talk considering how readily Darkseid was able to mess around with his head and make him turn on Earth. It is starting to add up between the Founders' secrecy, the expanding roster, the binary fusion gun, but something is still missing yet becomes clear in Batman's next line.

"Nothing? What if Luthor does become President, like he did in their world? What would stop you from doing what that Superman did?" retorts Batman.

Luthor as President would definitely not sit well with the Man of Steel, but what did he mean by Luthor becoming president in their world as well as what that Superman did in reaction to said event?

What if they were not merely doubles, but they were alternate selves of familiar heroes?

It would account for the drastic costume change, the sharp twist in behavior, and the absence of Flash in particular. Flash does not appear the sort who would go along with a League behaving like supernatural arbiters..

"There's always that Kryptonite sliver you carry around," jests Superman.

Superman still tries to downplay the seriousness if though he too retains concerns about Cadmus. His statement also confirms that the utility belt must have a specialized slot for said Kryptonite sliver.

"YOU DON'T GET TO JOKE! Not today! I just took a bullet for you!"

Batman appears to be finding the pretense of behaving like it is just another day very unrealistic.

"I'm sorry, Bruce. You're right. But you don't have to worry about the Justice League. Trust me. You know me."

Superman tries to apologize yet Batman is of course in one of those moods now, but could Question really qualify it as just another moody situation for Batman.

"Yeah, I do."

They leave Bruce to rest and recover from his injuries and for a time Question wonders if Batman will leave the League, but the Dark Knight Detective is likely to stay with the team because perhaps somehow maybe he thought he could convince Waller as well as Cadmus that they are wrong. Question contemplates investigating further to reveal what exactly Batman meant by all those events he made reference to as well as other questions about those who had masqueraded as the Founders back when they were still only seven.

[+++]

The other Green Lantern's costume incidentally resembles the one John Stewart wears yet he had grown a beard perhaps to offset the bald look. As for Hawkgirl who now no longer answers to that alias, her other's costume had a very passing resemblance to the feminine variant of a Thanagarian military uniform. The strongest correlation was for a time the headgear, except after leaving the League behind, she abandoned everything that could link her to Thanagar, but she couldn't change her biology of course. The resurrected and rage driven Solomon Grundy was what brought her back into the League. Inza Nelson had a way with words of course though deep down Question believes she is still looking for atonement even though she resonates with a fear that she'll never get it, like she could spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder. People would either forgive her or not, but what matters more to her is that the six, in particular John Stewart would let them be like a family again.

The almost arms' length behavior stems from how her knowledge helped the Thanagarians neutralize all of them once Batman discovered their real mission regarding Earth, not the smoke and mirrors tale involving the Gordanians, but one could imagine once she heard the truth from Hro's mouth presumably, she would either have to accept it or defy it. The only way Batman could have found a way to wreck the plan would be with her help and so the mystery around what happen to the League in the wake of the Occupation is made clear. No wonder people saw her as a traitor, but a critical moment she made Earth's salvation possible though of course all other action overshadows that even now. She wastes no energy trying to dissuade the press of their opinions about her and grudgingly tolerates the animosity yet the League welcomes her back. They had not forgotten, but some had missed her, so some had forgiven her.

Back to the considerations about these others especially as the costumes in general look militaristic and stylized to compliment each other instead of contrasting as the League at the time had done. The costumes nowadays still differ, but having similiar looks implies a different kind of symbolism. A symbolism of authority and not necessarily a benevolent one. One thing still nags him with the absence of a Batman and a Flash in that footage, but the Flash he had known definitely given him the impression that a Flash would be involved with an authority symbolism. A Batman might go along yet it would take something very specific to draw him it. However all the others would fall into line behind someone with Kryptonian powers if the situation predicates them all towards being more proactive not unlike the League is right now.

So far there is no tangible evidence that such a photo negative version of these familiar heroes exist. The only thing that backs up this supposition so far is the salvaged news footage of the fight that night between Doomsday and the five who were masquerading as the League on that evening. Batman's statement implies that there is an alternate reality one where something went 'wrong'. Something involving at the very least another Luthor and another Superman, but what exactly is unclear for the moment.

The way Batman… the way Bruce… spoke about this alleged experience is indicative that it had a serious effect on him, but unlike the others he is not content to behave like they assuredly are avoiding what happen to their other selves. There is a theory in physics that all possibilities that can happen, do happen except only in alternate realities. It all reverts back to theory as Question does not believe in or trust what suppositions and theories tell him yet clearly something happen in the months prior to the Thanagarian Occupation that clearly shook up the League and put them in Cadmus' cross hairs.

The mutual paranoia could destroy the world if and possibly when things get out of hand. Nothing is more unsettling than to find the world escalating towards its own destruction unless the journey is derailed before the clocks strike zero hour. The countdown continues yet there is no way to know for certain how much time may be left to avert all the possible pathways to the end of the world. It almost feels fatalistic to suggest the world is driving towards its own annihilation, but the road to hell is not always paved with good intentions, for there is always no shortage of bad ones either.


A/N 1: This part is set after Dark Heart yet during The Doomsday Sanction. Question is obviously feeling a little stone walled by Batman because while story wise he got to go with him to see Waller, he didn't actually get to talk to her yet he can surmise what their chat was about. He had suspicions about secret Founders' meetings, but of course after Batman's second encounter with Waller, there is another.

A/N 2: Question's misgivings about things like the binary fusion gun are given credence by the Dark Heart incident plus what happens at San Banquero similarly instills misgivings into Batman especially as Superman tried to lobotomize Doomsday as his Justice Lords counterpart had done. As established in the comics, the same attack method never works twice on Doomsday,which carries over in this version of Doomsday.

A/N 3: Question is zeroing in what he suspects fuels Cadmus' anxieties about the Justice League while also suspecting that the Thanagarian Occupation is not the only thing influencing the League's 'philosophies.'

A/N 4: Next up... probably Task Force X. Basically I am following the Cadmus Arc though some non-Cadmus episodes will serve as background for the arc of this story.