CHAPTER 168

Seated around a somber table in the Hall of Justice within the towering edifice of the Justice League Watchtower, the core members of the League had gathered at Batman's solemn summons. The absence of their iconic leader, Superman, was palpable, and a sense of unease hung in the air.

"Thank you all for coming. I know it feels strange to hold a meeting without Superman, but given his current predicament in the clutches of Lex Luthor, we have no choice but to move forward," Batman began, his gravelly voice carrying an air of urgency.

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the assembled heroes before continuing. "There might be a way to rescue Superman from Luthor's control, but that will necessitate capturing him first." Batman leaned back into his chair, his steely resolve unflinching.

However, the primary purpose of this gathering went beyond the situation with the Man of Steel. "But that's not why I called you here. We've finally gotten hands on information regarding the Flash's location, a colleague of ours who went missing a without a traceable trail. He disappeared along with Superman but hasn't shown up since Superman came back brainwashed during his time in captivity.

The League members, no strangers to adversity, responded with a mixture of concern and hope.

"Really?" Cyborg exclaimed, a glimmer of optimism in his mechanical eyes.

"Finally some good news, I hope he's unharmed," Wonder Woman added, her regal voice resonating with empathy.

Green Arrow, leaning back in his chair, offered his thoughts, "Speedy vanished the same night as Superman, yet he never resurfaced after Superman's allegiance shifted to Luthor. I was starting to think he might be dead or worse."

"So, where is he now?" Green Lantern, the ever-optimistic ring-bearer, inquired.

Batman stood up and strode to a nearby holographic screen, projecting a file that revealed a disheveled Flash, clad in his signature red suit, but drained and imprisoned within a cell. He huddled in a corner, his body language fraught with exhaustion.

"According to the intel I retrieved, Flash proved impervious to Luthor's mind control, and they had him confined within a cell outfitted with metahuman power dampening tech. Despite their efforts, they couldn't infiltrate his mind." Batman explained, his words punctuated with a sense of urgency.

He continued, "They subjected him to experiments, attempting to decipher and harness the source of his speed. They sedated him, drugged him, and tried various methods, but their research was futile."

Green Lantern voiced the collective sentiment of the room, saying, "He's been through quite a lot this past month ."

Batman turned to Aquaman and addressed him directly. "What's our strategy for the rescue mission?"

Aquaman, who had been absent from League duties due to certain issues in his kingdom, leaned forward and gave his undivided attention. Batman revealed, "Our greatest weapon is the element of surprise. To prevent this mission from becoming a media scandal if things goes south, we won't be wearing our usual costumes."

"Are you suggesting we dress like ninjas?" Green Lantern inquired, with a hint of amusement.

"No, we'll proceed with an all-black costume." Batman clarified as he clicked on a button which activated the mechanism that revealed the new attire—a black custom made suit for Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and himself, devoid of any distinguishing markings.

As night descended, the League members embarked on their mission. Later arriving at an underground bunker—an old research facility purportedly owned by LexCorp but conveniently absent from public records. They executed a stealthy descent from Diana's invisible jet, landing with the grace and precision that befitted their legendary status.

Aquaman silently used his aquatic powers and incapacitated any security personnel in their path as they continued to advance. Batman, with the grace of a shadow, moved towards the surveillance room while Wonder Woman stood sentinel, ever vigilant.

In the surveillance room, Batman spotted four individuals, two absorbed in watching the screens, one engrossed in munching snacks, and another fixated on a smartphone.

"I'm going to grab a snack, like Jimmy here." The last one quipped, nodding toward the snack-eating colleague. He adjusted his belt and strolled out of the room, leaving his post temporarily.

Batman seized the opportunity as he stealthily struck at the unsuspecting guard from behind, rendering him unconscious. "What the hell?" one of the men exclaimed, their confusion mounting. Batman, unfazed, hurled a smoke bomb filled with a sleeping gas into the room.

The warning from his compatriot rang in his ears. "It's a knockout gas!" he yelled, but it was too late, the gas had taken its toll and they each dropped to the floor unconscious.

Batman erased any traces of their presence, replacing the current surveillance footage with a recording from the previous day at the same hour. He proceeded to the cell where the Flash was confined.

Meanwhile, Wonder Woman and Aquaman ensured the facility's perimeter was secure, creating a safe passage for Batman to reach the captive speedster. As he advanced, Batman maintained his proficiency, neutralizing any guards who crossed his path with a scary amount of precision and agility.

However, an unexpected turn of events occurred as the familiar green lights illuminating the hallways suddenly shifted to an ominous red hue. Blaring alarms resonated throughout the facility, warning of an intruder's presence.

*Warning, intruder alert…Intruder alert, Warning.*

Wonder Woman swiftly contacted Batman through their communicators, her voice laced with urgency. "I thought you had it under control. How did the alarms get triggered?"

Batman responded without a hint of self doubt in his voice, "I did. Someone must have discovered one of the unconscious guards and raised the alarm. It doesn't change our plan. Continue as we discussed."

With their mission teetering on the edge of exposure, the League remained steadfast in their resolve, determined to rescue their comrade at all cost.

… 

"Morning, fellas," Tom greeted cheerfully, wearing a bath robe as he made his way to the kitchen in search of coffee.

Tom seemed to be in quite a good mood and Jason couldn't help but comment on Tom's unusual morning demeanor. "Who are you, and what have you done with Tom?"

"Ha ha, very funny." Tom playfully retorted

Leo, engrossed in the morning headlines of the newspaper, chimed in his thought on the matter. "You can't blame the kid, Tom. We all know you're not a morning person, not this early at least."

Tom, still in high spirits, questioned Leo's newspaper reading habits. "I don't know why you read the papers when the news is literally right there on the TV."

Leo explained his newfound habit of reading the paper, a change attributed to Tom's influence since he moved in. Jason, however, was not so easily dismissed and pressed Tom for the reason of his unusually mood.

"Don't try to change the subject; tell us what has you in such a good mood," He urged. "I am not sure I've ever seen you in a chirpy mood." He added.

"Come on, fellas, it's a beautiful day. We have to learn to appreciate the good things in life, the little things like the rising of the sun." He took a sip from his coffee, clearly ignoring Jason.

Jason, not one to let mysteries go unsolved, replied to Tom's evasive tactics. "Fine, keep your secrets," before heading to the garage for his morning workouts.

In truth, Tom's good mood was due to the approaching holidays, a period when the DC Universe often experience sudden attacks from crazy villains. And considering Luthor's current agenda, Christmas might end up becoming a a bloody all out battle that year.

Leo tried to ignore Tom's unusual mood and just shrugged it aside. He has been wanting to ask Tom a few questions and that moment seemed like a good time for that, he folded the newspaper in hand and walked over to Tom's side in the kitchen. "So, did you find out Luthor's great plan from the files you asked me to steal?"

Tom, momentarily taken aback by Leo's persistence, took a deliberate sip of his coffee before responding. "Yes, I did. All I can say is that Lex Luthor is more psychotic than they give him credit for." 

Leo, not surprised by Tom's response, pressed on with his questions. "If this guy is going to put an end to this world as we know it, why haven't you taken him out yet? You are clearly powerful enough to end the panic the world is experiencing at the moment."

Tom, always wanting to keep his intentions closely guarded, acknowledged Leo's curiosity. "Questions upon questions. You are as curious as ever, man, never changing but only adapting. The answer to your question is that, I'd like to see the expression Lex Luthor would have on his face when his plans crumbles before him, like his previous ones before this."

Tom took another sip of his coffee as he continued. "He might actually get his way this time around, but he does it at the risk of welcoming an overwhelming evil. Besides, if I took him out, I'd have to find a way to clear the names of the heroes myself, and that's too much of a drag. I'd like them to clean up after themselves and I would also like to see just how far that lunatic is willing to go for power."

"What do you mean by that?" Leo asked, unsure of what Tom meant by that statement.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, which drew their attention. Leo checked the security monitor Tom had installed and couldn't identify the guest. "Who's the hottie at your door?" He asked Tom who was busy making himself some sandwiches.

"Gwen, who's at the door?" Tom inquired from the kitchen, asking Gwen for an identity scan of their abrupt guest.

Gwen swiftly responded, "Identifying intruder... Identification complete... Selina Kyle, also known as Catwoman, a thief and cat burglar with extreme trust issues. Her criminal activities has made her very resourceful, making her an inconstant villain and occasional ally to Batman."

Hearing this, Tom put in the finishing touches on the last sandwich he was preparing. "Just a few weeks before Christmas, and I'm already getting a surprise of my own," he remarked, as he made his way to the front door to confront the unexpected guest.