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HELLO GUYS, BEEN A WHILE EH? SORRY FOR THE DELAY, I USUALLY LIKE POSTING A CHAPTER IN TWO WEEKS BUT I GOT A KIND OF WRITERS BLOCK, OR MAYBE I WAS JUST BUSY.

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ANYHOW, HERE'S THE CHAPTER

ENJOY...

Chapter Eight: Birdmen

LIKE HELL!

Then silence.

Hourman broke the silence with a cough. "Do you want us to use force?"

I frowned. Do I want them to use force? Of course I don't. "You need a warrant to arrest me!"

Atom smiled. "We don't need one really,"

"You don't?" I looked at Diana.

"It is true," she said.

"Okay, sure," I shrugged. "Whatever. You can all throw baseless accusations at me all you want and can take me in just with it, that's an unfairly amount of power you wield. Still, you are gonna have to work if you want to arrest me."

"And we return to my question," Hourman grunted. "Just surrender Mr Greek, it'll make things easier for everyone. You can clear your name in police custody, the right way, in no time,"

"Nah, I will pass," I chuckled. "I don't trust you guys anymore. Yeah that's right, did it ever occur to anyone of you how I feel that you hadn't once ask my side of the story? Like, even considered letting me explain stuff for friendship sake? Yeah, I don't trust you bastards, simple as that. You are not trying to help me, you are trying to lock me up, forever."

"Paranoid," Mister Terrific whistled. "Why would we be out to get you? We are just suspicious, so we want to take you in for questions."

"How about questions before taking in!?" I screamed in frustration. This reminds me of those so called loved ones watching for trigger signs of madness just because I am a vet. You know the, 'why are you getting riled up for nothing? You sure you alright? Or do you need to see a shrink?'

"He's right!" Wonder Woman said. "How can he trust us if we don't even hear him out? He helped us, helped me. He saved my life, I say we listen to him! We are the JSA for god sake!" She looked straight at Hawkman. He scowled but nodded, then she turned back to me. "Tell us,"

I nodded at her in gratitude. Even I could see she was looking out for me. "Firstly," I said. "Meeting Wonder Woman, Flash and Green Lantern in LA was pure coincidence. I was just passing by at the time when the fight started; I think my only crime was lending a helping hand right?

"Secondly, it was Diana and Green Lantern that sought me out for the Black Tower island thing. Hell, I didn't even know what was happening before they dragged me into shit. And thirdly, Dr Fate is the one responsible for Per Degaton and the others escape; all he had to do was to stop Wotan and we'd have gotten them all!"

"Easier said than done James Greek," Dr Fate snapped. His eyes disapproving beneath the helmet. I realize with a start that this is really not the guy I conversed with earlier.

"As for Gotham," I continued, pointedly ignoring the sorcerer. "I don't have a way to prove I didn't sell Wonder Woman out. But I got to say, If almost losing my life does not make you trust me, what could?"

"Almost!" Atom smirked. "That's the keyword. Plus I heard Gundra had to descend from heaven to save you. If that doesn't prove you are a Nazi then nothing could!"

These ignorant fools! I could feel a head ache coming. I gritted my teeth. "Look, I don't know what Gundra wants with me. Maybe it's to recruit me as she said, or maybe it is even to divide us, I don't know, I am just as clueless as you fuckers!"

"And how do you know stuff?" Green Lantern was the next to ask.

I looked up at him in irritation. "Even you?"

He shrugged. "What? I can't be curious too?"

"You can, sure, why not? It's an inherent ability."

"An inherent ability?" Terrific questioned. His interest piqued.

"Yeah,"

Flash's eyes brightened. "Like superpowers?"

"Something like that. Ah, I can see things, you know, pull information out of nothing? Minor clairvoyance, it's useful."

Mister Terrific frowned in thought and nodded. "What do you see when look at me?"

"I see an asshole. By the way, that goes for all of you, except Diana."

Half the JSA scowled. Diana laughed though. "Crude language Greek, but thank you,"

"You are welcome,"

"We are wasting time here," Hawkman growled suddenly. "If no one else has a question, we can proceed on arresting him."

"I have one question," Hourman said. He set his cold eyes on me. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

"That's a very personal question," I scratched the back of my head. Well, I guess it doesn't matter. Since it has come to this I might as well make an effort of staying out of jail. Cause fighting them? Fucking laughable. There's no way I can take the whole Society on my own! I suspect Dr Fate alone could subdue me. I am not a coward. I am a realist, however. At that I doubt I could even escape even if I want to. Though if it comes to it I'd fight till the bitter end. "I am from another reality." I told them.

Hourman lifted an eyebrow. "Does this reality have a name?'

"Earth prime," I deadpanned.

Mister Terrific frowned. "You have a name for your reality? That makes you more advance than us! What's the name of our reality?"

"I don't know. I guess you don't get it nerd, I am practically lost, I have no idea which reality I am. No way home and all."

"Then how did you get here?"

"Don't know, just woke up here."

"What's the last thing you remember?" Sandman questioned.

"Going to bed? Don't know? Why?"

"I am trying to help you figure this out."

"Oh thanks,"

Hourman coughed. "So do you have the JSA in your universe? Are there other versions of us?"

"Why not?"

"Grrr.. I can't get my head around this dimension thing," Captain Steel growled.

"I feel for you. Anyway, that answers most of your questions, do you still want to take me in?" I actually finger quoted.

"You are still suspicious," Atom scoffed. "Plus the last time we trusted someone from another earth we were hit badly."

"Who?"

"Red Tornado." Wildcat grunted. "He led the Nazi's right into our base one day, the JSA was almost defeated. After we survived that, we relocated here."

"Thunder didn't make it," Hawkman added.

The atmosphere got strangely quiet. "Ahem," I said. "You.. Like, I got to tell you, you have to relocate again."

"Why?" Sandman asked.

"Because Gundra already knows the location of your place. I told you she followed us."

Wonder Woman shook her head. "I don't think you a lying Greek, but I should have noticed if she was tailing us,"

I sighed. "She put a mark on my soul in Gotham. So technically, she wasn't tailing us. She just had to sit back and let us have a head start, yet she could keep track of us."

Diana blinked. "How did she do that?"

I sighed and told her.

"That scheming woman!" Diana gritted her teeth righteously. It was kind of cute honestly.

Dr Fate waved his hand and said, "Done, I have broken the spell,"

"Thanks," I nodded.

"What now?" Diana asked looking around.

"We are done here," Hourman replied, surprising everyone. He didn't even blink. "What?" He asked.

"We are just letting him go?" Atom asked curiously.

"Yeah," Hourman shrugged. "It doesn't take a genius to see he's not a spy. Seems too stupid for it."

I frowned, smelling a plot here. "Then why did you accuse me too, Hourman?"

"Well, I didn't suspect you from the beginning, I just wanted to use this opportunity to force answers from you which you gave freely." He replied. Now this is some stupid Batmanesque shit.

Hawkman scowled. "You played me." He turned to Wonder Woman, "Diana did you know?"

"I suspected," she nodded. "Hourman is many things but not irrational."

"You all played me!"

"I had no idea Carr," Wildcat said, "I'd bet most of the others didn't too."

Hawkman took a deep breath, then glared at Hourman. "Next time you want something, I'll get pay back. Anyway, I don't care if you believe him or not, we voted to arrest him, we'll stand by that decision!"

"Even if he's innocent?" Diana questioned.

"He'll have to prove that in court. I don't trust him. What do you say?" He looked around. Dr Fate was indifferent, Green Lantern and Hourman shrugged, Atom grinned breaking his knuckles, Wonder Woman sighed wearily, Flash looked at Wonder Woman then frowned. The rest; Captain Steel, Wildcat, and Sandman didn't look helpful.

Mister Terrific nodded. "Well, you can do that without me, he's outnumbered anyway. I will just watch from the side."

"Far play huh?" I scoffed. He shrugged. Anyway, the JSA got ready for battle. Great! It was about time anyway. I finally completely absorbed Gundra's divine lightning. My aura flared with power, and I rose to the air. Looking down at Hawkman I said calmly, "I don't know why you hate me Hawkman, but you are not gonna take me in, not today"

"You think you can take the JSA on your own?" He scoffed dismissively.

I lifted an eyebrow. "Now why would I take on the JSA?"

He frowned. "You are gonna run?"

"Nah," I laughed. Really, I am stupid. There's been a way out all along before me but I couldn't see it. This was so easy, but I just over thought, and overcomplicated things. "I am going to clear my name, Wonder Woman!"

Diana's eyes brightened for a moment, it seems she's caught up on my plot. But who wouldn't at this moment? Now's time to play along. "What is it?" She asked calmly.

"You possess a sure truth machine, I hear?"

"I wouldn't call it a machine Greek, but it's useful."

"How effective is it?"

"More effective than any method I have seen elsewhere,"

"Splendid, then I will like to pledge my innocence under it, will that suffice to clear my name?"

"I believe so," Womder Woman turns to the others. "Well?" She asked. No one disagreed. And so I proved my innocence.

After everyone left, Hawkman sending me glare before following, only me and Diana remained. "Thanks," I said softly, staring at the night sky.

"One long night huh?" She sighed. I looked at her. She looked so vibrant, so youthful, so honest. "Want me to give you a ride home?"

"No," I shook my head.

She blinked then lifted an eyebrow. "Want to go somewhere else?"

I closed the distance slowly, probing like I always do. In truth I am a pragmatic person. Seeing no resistance I pulled her to me, my hands snaked around her waist. "I want to stay here a little longer if that's okay," I said. She nodded and opened her mouth to say something but I stole her lips. It was a brief but heated kiss, when we separated we smiled at each other.

"What are we doing?" She asked.

"We are young and free, we are having fun,"

"I can get behind a little fun," she grinned. "Just don't raise your expectations high,"

I grinned. "You too,"

She smiled at ease. "I got to go, I have somewhere to be,"

"Sure, lunch tomorrow?" I didn't know where that come from but I soldiered on. "My treat,"

Diana had a coy smile. "Not tomorrow, I am busy tomorrow," she paused. "It was a good kiss James," she kissed me on the cheek then pulled back. She rose up in the air before looking over her shoulder. "If you make it dinner I might take you on on that offer,"

"Nah, I am busy tomorrow night," I said.

"You are not a nice person Greek," She said seriously, "Anyway, catch you later!" She waved then flew away. Yes I am not, I thought looking up at the empty sky in loss and loneliness. I am also a very stupid person. Regardless, she'd go to lunch with me. Maybe not tomorrow, but eventually. Er.., I am not in a rush really.

I know women like her; I steeled my resolve with the thought. She might seem interested in me because she's nice and all, but she's not in truth very interested. She got load of guys that fancies her to choose from. To her I am just some other guy. I am not a wuss, I am just a realist.

I am like her, that's why I know. I might look like I like her, which I really do, but I am not very interested to be honest. At least not to the point I can't say fuck it and get over it, the next moment, if she rejects me. The only difference between us is she's not just any other woman to me, she's Wonder Woman!

And that's the fucking problem! Because, I am not sure myself, but I think the main reason I am this attracted to her is because of the glamour around her identify. Of dating Wonder Woman. It's a little embarrassing, but in my defense I think she's a wonderful person even without the whole 'Wonder Woman' thing. But to build a solid relationship like I want needs good foundation; I have to know her first and she me. I have to reach a level in her heart that's above possibly pity or gratitude before I can date her or she'd just reject me.

That was why I declined her offer to fly me home or why I got cold feet about the date_ which I impulsively suggested_ because I suspect she's just being nice and feels indebted to so she does these things; like favors or accepting a date. I don't really know, but I figured, my feelings are a mess at the moment and that's a warning bell to take a step back and calculate my next step. Besides, I am really busy at night, I have a life to build after all.

I sighed, relationship is a headache. Then I rose in the air and flew away. Now let's see about finding my way back to Gotham. This is training too!

Fu...

20 December 1941, on a cold Saturday morning, almost two week since Pearl Harbor. With America's wounds still raw from the Japanese attack, and amidst all the hype of joining the war. An African american man bought a newspaper from a stand and moved to a park bench to read. The man is me.

The park was almost empty even though it was a Saturday morning, but few children played in the swings. I flipped through the pages trying to find something new; most of these stories are repeated after all, but at least they try to make it creative.

[Killings in Gotham harbor] I paused here. Someone sat beside me on the bench but I didn't look up, just tracking them with my senses. "This city has always been sick," the man said. I finally turned, to see a middle aged man wearing a black suit and a neat mustache. "Unlike other cities, folks here take advantage of the storm our nation is experiencing to cause atrocities."

"You'd be surprised by people's stupidity," I agreed.

"Yeah," the man nodded in satisfaction. "You enlisting?"

I had gone back to the papers but I looked up again. "I can't,"

"Why not? You sick?"

"Not exactly, I already work for the government I guess. By the way, you'd find most cities similar when it comes to taking advantage of perceived weakness to cause trouble, Gotham is hardly special in that regard."

"Ah, you don't know Gotham my friend," he said. We fell silent. I continued flipping through the pages not interested in small talks.

After sometime, I folded the newspaper and rose to my feet. "Excuse me," I said. The man nodded, and I left with the content of the news in my mind. [Gang war in Midtown; five civilians and twelve gangsters dead.] I'll check it out tonight.

I spotted Joe... JB talking to some other guy when I walked into my street. JB, that's how everybody calls him, I found out. He waved me so I went over. "What's up man?" I said as we shook.

"Hey jimmy," he said. "This is my brother, Kamal,"

"Oh, nice to meet you," I shook the guy. He was tall, taller than JB at least but not as tall as me.

"So what's up? How have you been finding the hood?"

"Folks seem friendly enough,"

"I know right? Just be careful, some of them kids are thieves,"

"I will keep that in mind,"

JB nodded then hissed as his dog started sniffing me. "Tanya! Sorry she's still a puppy, and I don't want my dog sniffing other people,"

"She seems big enough to have gotten that training,"

"I know right? I am not the best dog trainer in Gotham." He shrugged. "Anyway, we are planing some community vigilante thing. You hear this gang war in Gotham center?"

"The Maronies vs the Bertinellies,"

"Yeah... I don't give a shit who vs who,"

"Yeah, me too, if they'll keep us out of it," Kamal nodded.

"You know the worse part?" JB scoffed. "The cops ain't gonna protect us. So I was thinking, we could organize a militia,"

"Militia?"

"You know, we and some of them older kids? We could make rounds through the hood. If we see anything like shit, we sound the alarm,"

"The alarm?" I questioned. "Like a whistle?"

"We haven't gotten to the details yet but whistle will do. We'll have to do this right like..." A scream cut him off, then more screams.

I frowned and spun just in time to see a person crash down the street. I looked up immediately. The man that dropped him flapped the wings on his back and snarled down at me with sharp jagged teeth, more winged men were behind him. "Holy shit!" JB gasped. I frowned, I have seen these things before. Yeah, the bird men at Black Tower Island! They looked exactly like those failed experiments.

Grrr...!

The birdman roared then swooped towards us. JB and Kamal drew back in panic, but I punched the creature away as it closed the distance. Then I turned to the others. "Get inside, make sure everyone stay indoors, I am gonna deal with this!"

I flicked my watch then rose to the air. The birdman I punch rose up but I blasted it away with my purple bolt before it could do anything. Closing the distance I grabbed him by the wings, breaking them before further breaking its leg. The birdman was not the only one that attacked the neighborhood nor were me and the others the only ones attacked, so I went around stopping the birdmen and doing the same to the rest of them. Meaning decapitating them.

For all I know, these guys were experimented on. Before I know if it could be revisable, I think it's safe not to kill them. And after observing that the birdmen weren't healing and couldn't get up again, I shot up to the air quickly leaving my neighborhood behind. Ignoring everyone's daze look.

Gotham center was in chaos, birdmen running rampart tearing through civilians. I shot towards where the chaos was the most concentrated but was delayed by birdmen on the way, that kept grabbing people only to throw them down from high up. The cops were trying to help but looked overwhelmed. The police were huddled together around their cars shooting up, their guns hardly shot down one birdman.

A guy screamed as a birdman dropped him from the sky. Reacting reflexively, I flew forward quickly making a purple construct rope from my energy and flung it like a lasso, catching him. Yeah, I can make constructs now, though barely. I'd been practicing.

I blasted a few birdmen away with my bolts as I eased the frightened man down on the ground. "Thank you sir!" He said.

"Greek," I nodded, "Get indoors, man!" Then I kicked off the ground and punched a birdman I had downed with my blast, proceeding to cripple it in short order, after that I shot back into the sky.

Looking around to get my bearings, I flicked my booster watch again, risking overheating. Before it cooled, I took it off and took out another one from my pant pocket. After another flick, I was ready to go again.

Two birdmen were chasing a woman at another block. I flew towards her, quickly intercepting the creatures. "Hey pals," I said. "Want to play with me instead?" They snarled. "Yeah, we are on the same page."

"That was a great conversation!" After I took them out I continued towards the most chaotic part of the city. Civilians and even the cops cheered me on. Following the road, I was soon at my destination. A plaza.

It was total pandemonium here. They were plenty people, more birdmen, few cops. People were fighting, running, screaming, trying to stay alive. I spotted another superhero pretty quickly; the Black Canary was fending the birdmen off more better than anyone else. She held two staffs in her hands as she fought graceful and swift.

Not bad, I thought, leering at her curves in that cat suit. But I didn't have time to watch her as lives were in danger, though. Besides I am no perv. Looking to the side, three birdmen were trailing a running woman, I started there. Flying, I zoomed to them, knocking two away with my body sending them crashing into a store. One dodged and tried to claw me, but I caught her wrists with my hands and twisted, breaking them.

Perhaps I should have let a few of them hit me to gain energy, but I doubted they'd give me much and will only waste my time while more people were in danger. Besides I am poor, I didn't want their claws and teeth ruining my shirt.

Fuck, I need a costume. The tactical jacket is good_ even though I am not wearing it at the moment_ but it's still lacking. The pants didn't fit me to add. So I could only wear it with jeans, which was, to be honest unfitting. If I want to be the best of the best superhero, I'll need a really good costume. Unfortunately, I have no idea how I'll go about doing that, I sighed.

Anyway, joining the fight in the plaza, the birdmen were swiftly defeated. I flew out into the sky and combed up any stranglers roaming the city before returning back. It took me at least 10 minutes to do that.

I found Black Canary dealing with the post battle clear up when I returned, helping calm down civilians, some were even cheering her. Fuck, DC is rediculous, like reasonable people shouldn't still be shaking from the attack. I flew down to the Canary. "You need help?" I asked.

"No," she looked up at me. "Done what I should, I would only be in the way now. We should let the cops do their work."

"Fine by me, so you wanna get out of here?"

"You bet!" She said. I had met her a few times these past days during my night 'raids' and we sometimes work together, so we were already familiar with each other. Although to be honest, I didn't like running into her. Not to say I like working alone, it's the opposite really, but any time she's with me I find it too embarrassing to rob the criminals. I don't think I am doing anything bad, but I mean, who does that? If she sees me doing that I might face loose face forever.

"So what happened?" I asked as I looked down at the city from atop the high rise building we were standing on. "I am assuming those birdmen didn't just pop out of thin air for no reason,"

"I am not sure," Black Canary said. I glanced at her, she had a frown on her face. "But it was an attack, something suddenly changed all those people to birdmen before my eyes,"

I lifted an eyebrow. "You were there before it started?"

"Yes, someone stole Gas bomb from Wayne enterprises..., Wayne enterprises made a bomb that could be used to release air borne vaccines during a pandemic. I tracked the thief to the Narrows where I found a secret lab headed by a Dr Poison. A disfigured crazy woman.

"The doctor escaped unfortunately, but I was able to get information of the attack from a private detective that had been investigating this case too." She sighed. "I came to center plaza while he went after the scientist. But I arrived just in time to see the green gas explode, turned everyone it touched to those creatures, I barely avoided it."

"That's fucked up," I grunted. "You remember that detective's name?"

"Sam Bradley, why?"

"Thought so,"

"You know him?"

"Met once, what do you want to do now?"

Black Canary sighed again. "Naturally I want to get to the bottom of this, someone has a birdman bomb out there, this city is not safe until I stop them."

"I think this is above your weight class, no offense,"

She frowned, "why?"

"Dr Poison," I scratched my growing beard. Really, I should get a shave. "I think she's Nazi, Wonder Woman will probably know about her, maybe we should enlist her help,"

"Sure, good idea, if it was that easy to meet Wonder Woman and if she'll even believe us that's,"

"Believe us?" I smiled. "That's the easiest part. But on a second thought, maybe we should deal with this ourselves, as I don't know how to find her myself. At least you have me. How do we go about this?"

Canary smiled at something and shook her head. "First we find Bradley, then we ride this shit with caution,"

"Sounds like fun,"

I picked up Canary in a princess carry and shot up into the city sky, headed towards the narrows.

AND THAT'S THE CHAPTER.

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