55 A bigger stage II
Told you I was going to do it and you still didn't see it coming.
I'm quite excited honestly. Batman can finally spread his wings and scare so many more people ... chills.
_________________________________________
(3rd Person POV)
Green Lantern was shocked, to say the least. This Batman knew how to use everything around him as intimidation. And knowing the greatest secrets of people, their secret identity, scared them. Add his intimidating and razor-sharp aura and you get people shitting their pants.
"How ... how do you know my name?", Hal asked. He was terrified right now. Batman knew his name and beat him.
"I read your name on your flight suit. And there is only one Hal in the United States Air Force."
"You ... you know the names of everyone in the United States Air Force? Are you joking?", Hal asked in disbelief.
"Yes.", Batman replied. It was indeed true, that Batman knew the names of almost everyone important in the military and governmental positions, which included the United States Air Force. But he lied of course. If he told him that he knew he was born in Coast City to Jessica and Martin Jordan, the middle child between older brother Jack and a younger brother Jim, how his father and mother died and what his favourite cereal was ... Green Lantern would be useless in the fight that was coming.
So he didn't tell him.
.
The green ring on Hal's finger suddenly broke into a thousand pieces and Batman threw him the real Green Lantern ring.
"Get up. We have work to do.", Batman says and motions to the Parademon that was working on something.
"What's it doing?"
"Fusing something to the wall."
[Picture]
*PING*
"Did you hear that? If that's a bomb, he just armed it!", Green Lantern screamed and flew towards the Parademon. Before he could reach it though, the Parademon spoke in a broken and eery voice.
"FoR DarkSeID"
*BOOOOOOM*
Green Lantern formed a hard light safe with his ring and protected both him and Batman inside from the explosion. The door opens and they step outside.
[Picture]
"Dark side? What is that? A band?"
"A name. That was a Death Cry.", Batman said.
"It combusted into fire."
"On purpose though."
"How do you know that?"
"It was a death cry and the device is not a bomb. It was trying to incinerate us with it, to stop us from reaching it.", Batman explained, "It served its purpose and then died ... for Darkseid."
"So a cult then?"
"A soldier."
"Soldiers don't do that!"
"You truly are green, if you believe that."
"Urgh, Ring scan and identify.", Green Lantern says and scans the small cube.
{Unable to identify.}
"What? Unable to identify?! That's impossible. This ring knows what the Guardians know. And the Guardians know everything ... Except how to tell a joke."
.
Batman pushes Hal away and touches the device. The moment he touches it, he connects to ALFRED and gives him the go-sign.
[Preparations complete. Secure channel established. Scanning now.]
Meanwhile, Batman does his own check-up on the device. He has been waiting for this. And now it's finally here. He turns it around and presses a few things. The truth of the matter becomes clear to him very quickly.
"It's not a bomb."
"It's not? What is it then?"
"A computer, quite advanced ..."
"You mean alien? ... Maybe this is all connected to that guy in Metropolis?", Green Lantern suggests. Like most humans, advanced automatically means alien to him. But something you don't understand is not equivalent to alien.
"Superman."
"They say he's an alien."
"He is. Quite strong too."
"You think he's dangerous?"
"Depends."
"On what?"
"Who you ask."
"Did you meet Superman?", Hal asks.
"No. But I've investigated him. His power level-"
"Won't be a problem for me.", Green Lantern says and his ring shines brightly showing his conviction.
"Come on Batman, you can fill me in on the way to Metropolis."
.
- Metropolis -
In Metropolis a high school football game is taking place. And everyone's attention is on a young African American athlete, who is seemingly outplaying everyone. He caught the ball and scored a touchdown, winning the game for his team.
"Damn."
"He's a tank."
"Get me, Coach Carroll."
"I just found our new receiver."
Scouts were busy calling different people and preparing to offer the young man many things.
"Way to go, Vic!"
"Next stop: State Finals!"
There is nothing Victor Stone loves more than football ... except one thing.
[Picture]
.
"We're prepared to offer him a full scholarship right now!"
"So are we!"
"We'll take care of him!"
"Just settle down. Settle down! You'll all get your turn.", the Coach says.
Meanwhile, Victor is on the phone with someone important.
"The scouts are here, but the Coach won't let me talk to them without you."
"..."
"I know how busy you are at work, but I really thought this time ... I thought this time you were going to keep your promise. Oh and not that you'd ask, but ... we won tonight, Dad.", he says and hangs up.
"Man look at him. Vic's got it made."
"They're really anxious here, son. Is your Dad coming?"
"Next game, Coach. For sure.", Vic replies.
"Oh my god!", someone screams. Everyone runs to the field and looks to the sky, seeing a green jet flying across the sky.
"It's one of them!"
"But it's not Superman!"
"Seems like there's a new sighting every day."
"Your dad studies them, doesn't he, Vic?", one of his friends asks him.
"Kind of."
"What's he say about them? About Super-humans?", the boy asks.
"He doesn't talk about them. Not to me."
.
On a rooftop, Green Lantern and Batman land. Contrary to Green Lantern's belief, Batman simply drops to the ground, without making a sound. He was certain that the armour Batman was wearing was heavy ...
"You're not a very subtle person are you?", Batman asks.
"You can't fly, so how else were we going to get here? Talk in a deep voice?", Green Lantern asks.
"Who said I can't fly?"
"You did."
"I said I would fly."
"Yeah, but not on your own. So I assumed you could simply fly a plane."
"We should've gotten here with subtlety. You might as well put a big green target around us.", Batman changed the topic.
"Relax, we'll be gone before they know it. My ring led us right to the alien. As I said, it's basically a GPS for the extraterrestrial. Superman's in there."
"I wouldn't go in there right now. I studied his flight patterns and it looks like he was in some kind of fight-"
"With what? Your own satellite?"
"..."
"I was kidding. You have a satellite?"
"Evidence of fire like-"
"Like enough. Here's the plan: Green Lantern goes in there and restrains Superman for questioning. Batman waits here.", Green Lantern says and forms a green cube around Batman, 'trapping' him.
"I can handle this.", he says.
*BOOM*
*POW*
*CRASH*
.
[Picture]
Green Lantern is punched through the building and destroys the cube he used to 'restrain' Batman.
"I don't handle easy.", a new voice says. In front of Batman, Superman is seen standing there with the confidence that stems from someone who holds the power to destroy the Earth with a step.
[Picture]
"So ... What can you do?"
"What can't I do."
"What?"
.
.
- Central City: Crime Lab -
"I'm right in the middle of processing this case!", Barry Allen says.
"Stop arguing, Allen, and box it up.", his superior says.
"No."
"No?"
"This man was murdered in the parking lot of his office. It might have been made to look like a robbery, but the lot is locked after hours. Whoever killed him had access. This case is solvable if we move fast-"
"And fast is the world of the week. The chief wants everyone working on the Flash case, Allen. Everyone. On the Flash case. That includes you, Golden Boy."
"This man was a husband and a father, Director Singh. Don't let him become a cold case.", Barry pleads.
"I'm sorry, Barry, I really am, but this isn't my call. I want the crime lab to get back to solving murders as badly as you ... but we can't until we find out who the Flash really is."
.
.
- Metropolis -
"Tear gas, sonic grenades, tasers ... your belts empty, Batman.", Superman says as he pulls the cables from the taser off. He walked towards Batman with slow steps and seemed imposing ... to anyone but Batman. He had been in Hell and made it his theme park, this was a joke compared to that. Besides ... who said those were normal weapons he used?
"I was attacked earlier by someone with one of these boxes. A friend of yours I assume? He blew up and nearly took this building down with him.", Superman says and moves in front of Batman faster than the eye can see. He grabs Batman by the throat and pushes him into a wall.
"Who are you and what are these boxes for?", he asks. But then he notices something. He isn't holding Batman's throat at all.
"Huh?"
A fist lands on his abdomen surprising Superman. Not because it hurt, but because he was certain he had grabbed Batman's collar. He shakes his head and then goes to grab the Dark Knight again. But Batman doesn't allow that and dodges his hand. Finding this ridiculous, Superman uses faster speeds to grab the man.
However, that doesn't matter. Batman seemingly pulls a Muhammad Ali and dodges everything, while delivering punches and love-taps of his own. Superman, having enough of this, decides to punch him lightly to end it. He pulls back his fist and then punches Batman. Suddenly the black armoured hand appears in the fist's trajectory.
In a demonstration of flawless and superhuman martial arts, Batman redirects the force of the punch and delivers it back to Superman, smashing his fist right into Superman's face.
*BOOOOM*
.
Meanwhile, Green Lantern was getting up from the ground again.
"Anyone get the number of that train? It was wearing a cape.", he said and helped get rid of the debris. Bystanders were getting afraid of him though.
"Oh my god."
"It's one of them."
"Run!"
"Never mind, boys and girls. I see him. Round two pal.", Green Lantern says. He flies towards Superman who has just gotten up from the punch he received from Batman. He creates massive chains and hits the Man of Steel with them. Then he wraps them around the man, to stop him from moving.
"Chains? You're funny, Green Lantern.", Superman says and breaks out of them rather easily.
"He shattered my construct! How the hell did he do that?"
"I guess he's angry.", Batman says rather casually.
"So am I!!", Hal screams.
*BOOOM*
Hal forms a green ball around them and tries to block Superan's punches. Meanwhile, he calls someone he knows personally for help.
.
*Bzz Bzz*
{Barry Allen, here.}
"Flash? It's me! Green Lantern!"
{Hal?! I told you never to call me-}
"I really need ya, pal. I'm in Metropolis at seventh and main. Er, seventh and Broadway! I'm with Batman.", Hal says.
{Batman's real?}
"Yeah, and he's a total tool."
{What'd you do?}
"I didn't do anything."
{You always do something.}
*BOOM*
The ball hits multiple cars and crashes through buildings.
"I didn't start the fight.", Hal says.
{What fight?}
"Un, me and Batman versus Superman."
{Superman? Are you crazy?}
"Probably. Look, I'll explain after you run over here and help me tire him out!"
{No.}
"No?"
{You know what happened the last time the public saw Green Lantern and the Flash together.}
"We beat up a talking Gorilla and saved Central City."
{And we destroyed the Museum of Natural History doing it! My boss's boss has mobilized a 'Flash Task Force' to bring me in. Meaning I can't do Jack at my day job.}, Barry explains.
"Flash! This guy is going to KILL US!", Green Lantern says as Superman punches through the green shield.
*BOOOM*
.
Superman again pulls his fist back and is just about to punch again, when a red hand suddenly appears and stops him.
"All right.", a new voice says, "Let me get you some breathing room."
The new figure turns out to be the Flash. He uses his speed to turn Superman around and then pushes him into a wall.
*THWAP*
"I don't like being attacked.", Superman says who is not hurt in the slightest.
"He attacked me!", Green Lantern says.
"You're both confused, Lantern.", Barry say as he dodges Superman's hands.
"I think this is a big misunderstanding.", Flash says as he moves around Superman with ease. The Man of Steel is not fast enough to catch the speedster like this and Flash runs circles around him.
"Don't bother trying to catch me, Superman. I've never been touched. Like ... ever."
But that changes in the next moment. Using the arrogance of the Flash, Superman predicts his next position and moves his hand there, flicking his finger and shooting the Flash back.
*FLIK*
*CRASH*
"He actually hit me ... ow."
Superman turns towards the man who hasn't done much of anything, but humiliated him quite a bit ... Batman. The Silent Knight just stands there doing nothing and letting the others do his bidding.
At least that's what Superman thinks. He narrows his eyes and shoots towards him The speed he is using is much higher than what he used before and before you could blink, he is millimetres away from grabbing Batman's throat.
Something in Batman's hand catches his attention in that fraction of a second. Time seems to stand still for his perception speed and he sees something in Batman's hand. It looks like ... a detonator.
And then ... Batman presses it.
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Well? What is it? A bomb, poison, gas? Or something else?
I say you'll never guess.
