6 Justice League the Corps

"Ugh! What is it with you and sewers?" the Huntress complained as she, the Question, and Batman slogged through a storm drain. To make a disgusting trip even more unbearable, it had been raining throughout the day in the Metropolis/NYC/Gotham area all day. As evening rolled in, it became a torrential downpour.

Batman didn't deign it necessary to respond to her complaint but the Question, who the query was really aimed at, decided to reply, "Our rooftop surveillance revealed that eight guards now patrol the roof. That's in addition to the electronic security. It only takes one guard or sensor to raise the alarm."

Huntress smirked, "So that gives me six to deal with and one apiece for you and Bats."

If Batman were listening he gave no sign. The water was almost to their waist now and it was steadily rising. This avenue of retreat would soon be closed to them. That meant going out of a conventional exit but they were almost to the junction, which meant that he could even the odds.

When they met the wiring juncture, he activated the claw-like extensions in his gloves and slashed the wiring bundle. The Huntress, of course, was quick with a comment, "Oh that's brilliant Bat-boy. You've just attacked electrical wiring while standing hip deep in water."

"I just stripped open the main electrical junction to the building. When the water rises, and it will rise, it will short out the building's power supply. They'll have to switch to back up generators and that means the security measures will be crippled. The guards will rely upon flashlights and handheld radios. They'll be stretched to their thinnest deployment and therefore individually vulnerable," Batman said in his growly voice, "Or do you have a better plan?"

"Of course I have a better plan," she snorted, "I'm just not sure what it is yet."

If Batman could have been capable of a smile, he would have done so. As it was, he merely said, "Follow me."

They reached a ladder that rose into a metal lid in the "roof". It was bisected and would split and lift into two separate halves. Batman scaled the ladder, got to a digital keypad and asked the Question for the city municipal authority's override code.

"7-5-X-T-G-R-6-4-K-S-W-Q-2-9-U-Y," the Question recited from memory.

Batman punched in each alphanumeric in the pause between letters and numbers. The lid released with a hiss. It split in half and Batman withdrew a pair of specialized goggles from his belt. Affixing them on his face, he lifted his head above the line of the next level's floor.

"There are no infrared sensors or lasers," he whispered, "We should still take care to avoid audio and visual trackers."

That being said, he climbed into the next level. Huntress followed as did Question behind her. When they reached the parking garage that comprised the next level, Huntress leaned into the Question and whispered into his ear.

"Did you enjoy staring at my ass?" she smirked.

"Always," he confirmed.

The sewer access had a private corner that was out of the way of the parking slots. Few slots were filled. The bulk of those contained LexCorp Security vehicles. If the car fleet was any example, they had a veritable police force.

Batman swept the horizon with binoculars. Having found his targets he withdrew a batarang from his belt. He gauged the throw and then released. The batarang hit one camera and then another. It then returned to its owner.

"Now we just have to worry about the camera before the elevator and in it," Batman declared.

"I'll deal with the overhead camera," Huntress whispered back. She pulled her crossbow out of its holster and extended the flanges. Cocking the bowstring with the lever arm, she nocked a bolt, took aim, and fired. The bolt penetrated the camera lens, shorting out the unit. She gave Batman a smug smile. He said nothing.

"They'll be sending investigators," Question warned.

"We'll wait for them at either side of the doors. Remember, they need to be all of the way out of the elevator car to avoid being seen by the interior camera," Batman instructed.

Huntress snapped off a sloppy salute, "Yez, Boss."

They got in position. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Two burly, armed men strode out seeming confident they could take on any problem. Batman and the Huntress took them out in seconds. Batman threw a smoke bomb into the elevator car and the Question entered it and, obscured by the thick smoke, disconnected the camera's power cable.

Batman opened the roof access hatch and climbed up. Huntress followed and then the Question. The Question had opened the emergency access panel and inserted a small device into the key slot. This would override the penthouse lockouts and grant them control of the elevator.

They had time to close the roof access hatch just before the car began to rise. It rose one floor to the lobby level. Armed guards waited for the doors to open but they found no occupants. Holstering their weapons, they examined the car. They found the expended smoke ball and collected it. Further examinations revealed nothing besides a disconnected cable.

Having gained control of the elevator, Batman used a small device reminiscent of a smart phone to order it to the penthouse. The Huntress questioned the wisdom in this. The Question addressed her concerns.

"The primary mainframes, which are located on the 6th through 8th floors, are kept in a refrigerated blockhouse. They are also cut off from the special operations server. This is stored on the uppermost floors above the penthouse offices. These offices all have dedicated access to the SpecOps servers. Talia's office dominates these areas and she has unlimited access therefore we will utilize her computer to enter the secondary mainframe," he explained.

"Yeah, I heard it the first time," Huntress retorted.

"Then don't keep repeating the question," her husband said.

Huntress closed her eyes and groaned.


The elevator rose to the appropriate floor. They used the maintenance hatch to exit. Making their way to the helipad stairs, they overrode the lock on the stairwell door and entered the Executive Floor. Only the CEO, the corporate President and Vice President had admittance to this level. The underlings' offices were paltry compared to Luthor's old digs.

The helipad and roof structures were located behind the "L" shaped tower construction marking the building as a LexCorp building. The "L" had a glass half dome in its crux. That dome encompassed Talia's office. The upper spire of the "L" contained the SpecOps server and was shielded and refrigerated.

Batman switched on the office's lights. Huntress objected, "What are you doing? We snuck all the way here just for you to broadcast our position now?"

"They'll spot our flashlights from the roof anyway. We might as well be able to see clearly," Batman rebutted.

"But your little trick with the wiring…?" she faltered.

"These lights are tied into the batteries and emergency generators so they'll stay on," Batman informed her.

"When do you think your surprise will go off?" she asked.

"Any second now," Batman revealed.


The guards on the railing wrapping around the "L" spotted the lights in Talia's office and called it in. The lights on the roof flickered and died then. The phones were dead so they broke out the radios.

In the lobby, the security station went amuck. The batteries sustained power to the servers until the generators kicked in. That restored the external phones but the dedicated internal intercoms were still dead. Computers were active but video surveillance and other electronic monitoring systems were down.

The roof team radioed in and reported activity in Ms. Head's office. The Security Chief told them to form a perimeter but to avoid interference. Ms. Head had a plan in motion and would personally deal with the intruders.


The Question sat down behind the desk and found the computer was on stand-by. It asked for a password and he inquired as to whether or not Batman had any suggestions. The Dark Knight had an immediate reply.

"Try 'Beloved'," he suggested.

To the Question's fascination, it worked. He immediately began searching folders and files. The office door was bumped and the Huntress intercepted the door as it opened.

"I've got this," she declared.

A massive vine smacked her and propelled her into the window on the opposite side of the room. The glass cracked. The Question began to rise but Batman shoved him back into the chair.

"You're needed here. I'll deal with Ivy," he said as he moved off.

Talia and Poison Ivy sauntered into the room. Talia was dressed very smartly in a pants suit. The outfit with accessories had obviously cost several thousand dollars. She looked every inch the CEO of a leading firm. Ivy wore her usual accoutrements.

"Hello Beloved, it's about time that you dropped by to see me on my new job," Talia smiled.

"I'm not your 'Beloved'," Batman countered.

"Truly you have pushed all others aside until only I remain. I'm the only one that has never asked you to change. You can't deny the truth. We're meant to be together," Talia asserted.

"You think I'm Ra's' heir. That's change," Batman insisted.

"That's who you already are so it's no change. You just haven't accepted it yet but you will and when you do I'll be waiting for you," Talia promised.

"It'll be a long wait," Batman growled.

Talia's smile was beatific, "I have time."

"Until then, Darling, you can put up with me," Ivy's voice was sultry.

"Don't start, Ivy," Batman warned.

"Silly man, I haven't even begun," she held her hands up so they could be seen, "See? Nothing up my sleeve."

"You're wearing opera gloves and you don't have any sleeves," Batman corrected her.

"How like a man," she huffed, "So literal."

The vines suddenly lashed out at Batman. He ducked as the main "branch" sailed by. The smaller vines wrapped around him, binding his hands and feet together.

"Ah, ah, I'm not about to let you pull the herbicide out of your belt and wilt my precious," Ivy chastised him and then a vine shot off and wrapped around the Huntress.

"And you, my Dear, you want to play with the boys? Fine, you'll be broken with them. After all, men are such fragile creatures," Ivy said while wearing a demented grin, "And you, the faceless wonder, what am I to do with you?"

The Question rose and approached Batman. Ivy watched his audacious move in silent wonder. Question pulled a spray bottle out of his trenchcoat pocket and he began spritzing the plants. They immediately began to die.

"Nooo!" Ivy screamed.

Batman's hands came free and he pulled the herbicide sprayer out of his belt and joined in the Question's actions. Between the two of them, they decimated the vines. Ivy shook with uncontrollable rage. Suddenly, the Huntress rocked her with a right cross. The botanist was down and out.

"Do we have the information?" Batman inquired.

"It's all here," the Question patted the pocket where the portable hard drive was sewn in.

"Beloved, wait!" Talia threw herself into the Dark Knight's arms and kissed him. It was ferocious kiss filled with unspeakable passions. He was momentarily swayed but then he recovered.

"There will be a reckoning, Talia," he predicted.

"I look forward to it. As they say, 'my lawyers will eat you alive'," she made her own prediction.

Batman ran to the cracked window and affixed a small device to it. The sonic emissions shattered the already damaged glass and the three heroes used their grapple guns, for even the Question had been given one, to swing to the streets below.


Batman ran to the alley where the Batmobile and the Question's Dodge Charger were waiting. They all got into their respective vehicles and took off with the Batmobile in the lead. LexCorp's Security cars followed with their yellow lights flashing. It soon became apparent that LexCorp had called the Metropolis Police Department because squad cars tried to intercept or block their path.

The Batmobile, using its jet turbine, smashed its way through barricades and police cars. Both the Huntress and the Question marveled at Batman's single minded sense of mission. The MPD was paralyzed in his wake.

They reached the highway and proceeded to the Brooklyn docks. They roared onto the Hall of Justice's tarmac and the gates were closed behind them as State Troopers from New York and Connecticut, along with MPD and NYPD cars, came screeching to a halt.

Batman exited the Batmobile and strode passed the stunned Martian waiting at the rear entrance, "Call Waller. She has some explaining to do."

J'onn nearly gaped but when the Question and the Huntress rushed by, trying to keep up with Batman, he had an idea of what this was about.