The House of Amanda Waller
Everyone were celebrating their victory at the dining table of Amanda Waller. She was dressed in a black suit, along with Superman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Deadshot, Lex Luthor, Captain Marvel, & even Captain Atom who managed to be given an actual human body by Cadmus, instead of the dilusel armor. Galatea was dressed in a one strapped white dress, and Shayera in a gold dress, with her hair in a pony tail, both dresses showing off their assetts. Wonder Woman on ther other hand dressed conservatively in a hot pink, suit and black skirt.
Finally Amanda Waller at the glass of the table pressed forward her cup of champagne "Cheers to the victory and a toast....to Metahuman Registration."
Other than Deadshot, Luthor & Galatea the whole table were still in their seats with steely and remorseful eyes.
Luthor confused at the animosity raised an eyebrow "What's wrong, We won, celebrate."
Superman glared at Luthor "I agree we did win, Registration rates are increasing day by day, but at what cost, to see another hero die. No one deserves to die for protecting the innocent."
The Flash buts in the conversation in a jumbilant but serious manner "Yeah I agree with Supes, Atom-Smasher may've not registered, but he was one of us. How do you think the media is going to take this."
Amanda Waller spoke "Atom-Smasher was a C-List, metahuman. He was hardly a star comparable to any of the likes sitting at this table. We have bigger things to worry about such as Orion..."
John Stewart, enraged with Waller's cool attitude "Is this all you want? Us as your tools for destruction, I don't give a damn about what starpower Atom-Smasher had. He was Justice League until he died, and because of you and that..."
Shayera pointed at Galatea "Skank, who's just a clone of a girl we actually love."
Luthor in a smooth tone "You all are just getting riled up. In a few days you'll be."
Green Lantern cut off his sentence "Shut the hell up, you bastard!. I've finally realized the kind of people you and Waller are. I thought you guys actually changed, but I was just thinking with my heart. The truth is out on the table, both of you are just trying to push your agenda, of taking over the world. This isn't Civil War...it's just a rehash of what happened 5 years ago except this time this no good piece of trash Luthor is now going to be President!"
Shayera began to speak "And what about me? I've already done mankind so much damage for the Thanagarian Invasion, and what have I done now? Become an accomplice to murder of a comrade, I'm sorry but I'm not going to be anyone spy, I've had enough of that in my life...Me and John we're out."
Shayera was practically Wally's big sister. His eyes slumped to see her walking away.
Superman stood up "Shayera think of what you're doing, think of the people."
Shayera gazed her eyes on Clark "What people, is it the people we're really serving, or is CADMUS the one we're fighting for. I understand, the citizens want registration, but what we're doing is unmoral. Look at what you did to Batman." Tears began to fall down her eyes. "Because of you, he's a paraplegic. The one man, who loved crime-fighting, can't even do that anymore, because you decided, ideals meant more than friendship."
Superman balled up his fists in aggression "You don't understand!. Earth is my family, and I'm not going to give that up, giving up being an inspiration for children all over the world, just so a few people can live safe. I had to give up the identities of Ma & Pa Kent, why can't everyone else? Why is it that I have to do things for everyone, and my own allies, don't give me that credit in return. I'm not anyone's sacrificial lamb. I made the choice when I put the lives of innocent people in Smallville, into the hands of the government. So you can leave now, betray what you sworn to defend, but that isn't going to change a thing. You'll lose either away."
Shayera & John were taken aback as they walked out the doors, and flew away.
The Flash stood from his seat "You know Supes, you really didn't have to be so harsh, Right now everyone's a little angry because one of our own just died."
Lex Luthor responded "Exactly why we'll organize a funeral for Atom-Smasher, I've managed to shrink him down to size, and if Batman's Outsiders, choose to come, they're free to join us for a day of peace, in honor of a fallen hero. Subsequently Luthor walked outside with Amanda Waller.
"Lex, after this funeral, what's next? We can't be so sure, that Batman is just going to lie on his back, and surrender, That crazy man might be concocting a battle plan as we speak."
"Don't worry Amanda, I have this all settled out. First we'll bash Orion in the news stands as the son of Darkseid, than we invade Atlantis. Once Aquaman is taken out, Batman's surrender is invetible, and if that doesn't work we'll storm his headquarters, and go down in dirty. Hopefully the latter two, won't come to fruition"
Waller asked "But even though you found their computer, we still don't know where their base is, considering Batman has so many of them spread all over America."
Luthor assertive in his abilities "Oh trust me, Matters will reveal themselves when the time is right."
And with that, they both gave each other a toast.
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The Batcave, Manhattan.
Bruce Wayne in a hospital gown, with third degree burns, bandages, and a cast for his back awoken with blurry vision and his cowl on to Nightwing, Catwoman, Slade, Green Arrow, Orion, The Atom, Zatanna, Geo-Force, Static, The Ray, & Black Canary all around him many of which had bandages of their own. He had no feeling in his legs. He was an official handicapped man.
Catwoman gave Batman a kiss on the cheek as she looked at him with eyes of sorrow "It'll be all right baby, The rest of the team were able to get you back in time."
Batman not remembering anything after the knee to his spine asked in a weak manner "W-what happened?"
Slade spoke in a calm, yet not arrogant voice "We lost Batman...All our forces, stood no chance against Luthor's team. For some of us, it was as if knowing their weaknesses wasn't enough. The only reason they let us all live, was because they figured you would hand over your identity in due time."
Zatanna who unusually wasn't giddy. "We all lost that day. Superman paralyzed you from the waist down, and...." Soon tears streamed down the cheeks of the magician "Atom-Smasher died. Galatea killed him." Nightwing wrapped his arms around her reassuring him.
Soon The Atom walked forward, hurt with the loss of his dear friend. "Yeah Batman, all because of you!, that we're in this position in the first place. Whatever revolution you have, it's time to end it. Face it, we went out there and we got our a**es kicked all over New York, Influencing people to go to war is not what we do as heroes, defending the populace is our career, And now my best friend can't even do that anymore, because some spoiled rich kid, wanted to play Jesse James and go up against the government, it's over I'm registering."
The Atom stormed out of the room, making his way out of the Batcave.
Nightwing, gently "I am too...."
Canary looking at Dick with stunned eyes "You're what?!"
"I said I'm registering. If anyone didn't realize, but right now one of our friends, is lying dead in the arms of Cadmus. I didn't choose to don the cowl, so many years ago so I could watch friends die, just because superheroes are afraid to adapt to the terms of modern society. Right now we need to accept the state of affairs and surrender, Tell Barbara I said bye, Bruce" Nightwing held his head down as he walked out of the room, carefully. From leading the expanded Titans, to finding out Red X was Jason Todd, and now to this, he had so much on his plate after 5 years.
Finally Batman resumed speaking in a gruff voice as the room, even Slade stood in astonishment to see Dick leave. "He's right you know, It's all my fault, It's my fault that we lost, it's my fault that Smasher died, and it's my fault this war even started in the first place, I said I cared about you guys, but I was just trying to convince myself otherwise, This whole mission was just a way for me to get back at Superman, a way to prove that I didn't have to have powers to be better than him, that I was the greatest hero. Before the Act was passed I told Nightwing, that I wanted to retire, and that this was a mission to go out on top. All of this came from my own arrogance. I deserve to be in the position I am now, as by tomorrow I'll reveal my public identity to the world, and allow myself to be arrested."
Green Arrow squinted his eyes, and moved closer to Batman
"You know Batman, you may not realize it but you inspired lots of people. Many of us modeled ourselves after the code you lived by and you never struck me as the man to just give up. I've heard stories about the man who defeated the illustrious Ras Ahl Ghul, the man who The Joker couldn't bring to darkness, the man who conquered the revolutionary known as Bane, the man who Hush couldn't beat, and for a while I often believed that those were myths...but after fighting alongside you for so long, I knew that they weren't because it wasn't your attributes that made you great, it was the fact that you pushed yourself to perfection, always finding a way to beat your opponent. All these people standing here, we all chose to fight under you, you didn't force us to do anything, we're all doing this not just for our families, but for the fact we won't let some agency come in our park, and tell us how to play ball. So yeah, you lost, got yourself paralyzed, and in the process we lost a dear friend...but is that going to stop us from doing what we do best? Our we just going to roll on our backs in self-pity because things didn't work out the way they wanted to, Remember who we are, and most of all remember who you are Batman, because I know for sure that I'm not just going to quit because it's the easy way out."
"You don't understand Arrow, right now we can't fight crime anymore. The minute they see one of us on the street, they will lock us up with the same criminals that we sworn to face."
Green Arrow smirked "Oh trust me, I intend to have a talk with the President."
___________________________________________________________________________________________
The Computer Room
Oracle was busy typing in coordinates for the base of CADMUS, to no avail. For the most part though as the head of the Birds of Prey she was keeping watch over Gotham through satellites with members of the Batman Family in Cassandra Cain, Kate Kane, & Stephanie Brown, keeping control of the city, just to name a few.
To her disappointment the face of Lex Luthor appeared once again.
"The Justice League, under the direction of CADMUS have invited you the funeral of Albert Rothstein, also know as Atom Smasher at Riverside Park to commemorate the memory, of one of the greatest protectors Earth has had in the modern age. We come under terms of peace to send, our ally to the upper world." His face disappeared.
Soon Batman rolled up in a wheelchair, next to Barbara, clearly still sore and wounded from his battle with Kal-El.
"Barbara, alert the safehouse that anyone who wishes to attend this funeral are allowed."
"And what about you, Bruce? You have to go."
"I'll attend the funeral as Bruce Wayne."
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Riverside Park.
Everyone dressed in black as what would normally happen at a funeral. The media had no knowledge, of this battle, thanks to Amanda Waller, so the funeral was not broadcast on television. Martian Manhunter read the eulogy, something he handled marvelously at the funeral of Superman, with many crying from the Justice League & Batman's Outsiders alike. There was few villains, as they saw delight in seeing a metahuman who fought for the side of good, perish. Batman, watched from a distance the events taking place, and shortly the funeral ended after the burial.
Ray Palmer began to talk with Lex Luthor both of which in tuxedos.
"Earth 616 tells me that I'm meant to join you."
Luthor laughed "We can't compare ourselves to that world, or even the world of Kingdom Come for that matter, things turn out differently than they're supposed to."
Palmer in a brooding voice "That's true...but I know The Atom fought alongside Atom-Smasher in opposition of registration...but that Micron is meant to fight alongside Alexander Luthor."
Luthor smiled and held out his hand to which Ray Palmer shook.
Soon Nightwing walked over to Lex Luthor and tapped him on the shoulder.
Luthor turned around "I take it that you're Richard Grayson."
Nightwing nodded "Yes...and I can take you to Batman."
To Be Continued...
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