A/N: Quick turnaround for the next chapter as I'm in the zone and really enjoying writing at the moment. Enjoy!
Nanda Parbat. The League of Assassins' Stronghold. Superman, Flash and Robin are meeting to discuss their next move after Bruce Wayne's public unveiling of Superman and Flash's identities.
Superman sat in a chair, whilst Flash paced the room at lightning speed and Robin stood at the balcony, looking out into the snowy abyss that he knew so well. Their current location was a temporary one, but one that wouldn't be unappreciated given the circumstances.
"How could he do this to us?" Flash said, "he broke the unspoken rule between League members."
"That doesn't exist anymore, Barry" Superman said, "Bruce's organisation knows the identity of every league member, past and present, I guarantee it." As Superman sat back in his chair, a faint red light lit up the balcony, and soon Guy Gardner flew down and landed next to Robin.
"I did what you asked, Clark. Our contact is still in. I'm assuming by the fact that you're still here that our plan worked. How did it go?"
"My father walked away the worst" Robin said, "Superman fried his shoulder."
"Completely?!" Guy said, a devilish grin on his face.
"No, I just burnt a couple of layers of skin. He'll be fine" Superman replied.
"Damn." Guy lightly hit the wall, showing his disappointment.
"We don't want this to turn into a full on war, Guy. I'm not going to let it go that far." As Clark said this, Flash stopped suddenly.
"How do you know you have that control?" he said, folding his arms.
"I don't" Superman said, turning his head away and sighing.
"Then we need to take a leaf out of Bruce's book and have a contingency plan" Flash said.
"Agreed" Robin said, "Father has a strong force behind him, we need to do the same. Not just muscle, mind power too." Superman laughed.
"You're starting to sound like my father" he said, standing up, "he said the same thing."
"Then let's do it?" Guy said, rubbing his hands together.
"Okay," Flash said. They all gathered around a table in the centre of the room. "What does Bruce have that we don't?"
"Multiple level 5 geniuses on his side. The armies of the world. Around two thirds of the league willing to fight for him" Guy said sarcastically. Robin punched him in the kidney, much to Guy's dismay.
"He's got a point, Damien" Superman said, "Firstly we need the tactician."
"Hey!" Robin said.
"No offense, you're good but you aren't nearly as good as your father. We need someone with more experience."
"I agree with Clark here" Flash said, "any ideas?"
"Damien, would your grandfather…"
"No," Robin stopped him, "the mere fact that we're standing in this room is against my grandfather's wishes. He doesn't want to get involved with this. It's not his fight."
"Okay, there goes my bright idea" Superman said.
"You might, however, be on the right lines," Robin said, "there's someone who could fit your description who's fought both my grandfather and my father and been a worthy opponent for them both… and I know where to find him."
Gannet Peak. The Wind River Mountain Range, Wyoming.
"Easy. Easy now." He knelt there, calm and concentrating. With all his training, the rifle was merely an extension of his own body. The serenity engulfed the area as the sunset lapped at the top of the horizon. The deer stood, eating from a bush. It raised its head as it heard another deer call out. Tentatively, it took a step forward, away from the bush and out into the open. "Gotcha." It stopped for a second, before a bullet pierced its neck and threw it to the ground. As it gasped for air through it's punctured throat, it saw a tall man walk into view; glistening white hair and rugged, worn face.
He knelt down next to his kill and pulled a small knife from a holster on his left side. Once he saw the pulse in the deer's neck slow to a dull and eventually lifeless pace, he grabbed the flesh from the chest, plunged the knife in, and began to skin the deer.
"I know you're there," he said, "I saw you coming over the ridge twenty minutes ago. You kryptonians aren't exactly stealthy, even with a member of the bat-clan with you."
"Hello Slade" Superman said, "I'd like to have a little talk with you."
"Do you now?" Slade replied, "What could you, of all people, possibly want with me?"
"We have a proposition for you" Superman said.
"You're joking, right?" Slade laughed, "you're supposed to fight against people like me, not alongside us."
"We need someone of your expertise" Robin said. Slade let out a small chuckle.
"I already know what you want me for, you want me to take out the Bat."
"Glad to know we're on the same page," Superman said, "so will you help us?"
"I don't think you can afford me on a reporter's salary, Kent" Slade smirked.
"Actually," Robin said, "I'm paying for this one." Slade looked momentarily surprised, then let out a short but loud laugh.
"You're telling me that Wayne is gonna pay for a hit on himself?"
"We don't want him dead, Slade" Superman put his hand on his hips. Slade's smile diminished considerably. "We want him outmanoeuvred, outthought and outmatched."
"So this is a non-lethal coup?" said Slade. Superman nodded.
"Precisely."
Space Sector 1849. Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman and Doctor Fate are searching for the only being in the universe who has the power to help them.
"Fate, we've been searching for weeks now. How can we not have found him?" Wonder Woman said.
"Patience, Princess," Fate said, trying not to lose his concentration in keeping them floating through space, "we're close now."
"It is unusual for him to stray so far away from his space sector, even if he no longer sports a Green Lantern ring" Martian Manhunter said.
"What Kyle Rayner does outside of the league's business is within his privacy and we should respect that. We wouldn't be doing this if we had any other choice" Fate said.
"Are you sure he's our only option?" Wonder Woman said.
"He's the only one I know of who currently possesses this power" Fate replied, "If we want to do this, we must have the power of a White Lantern on our side."