Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I have used them in this story which is entirely a product of my own imagination

Dilemma

Doomsday sanction!
Yet another desperate attempt of Lex Luthor to plunge the dagger into the League's heart - foiled. But there was at least one person in the league who knew that it wasn't over. After well-deserved, if not desired, rest from physical activity for fifteen days ensuing the adventure, the Dark Knight was ready to delve into the root cause of the charade. He had been restless all the time he was in the watch tower, with nightmares after nightmares of featuring Luthor's prospective actions flooding the little sleep he could get. Enough nightmares, he needed answers.

And he went to the only place he could think of, to get them!

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"What is it now, Rich boy?" she said, discretely. She was alone, in her living room this time, going through some files on her table. She was expecting him.

"I need answers, Waller," he said, taking his chair. His tone did not sound as authoritative as she had expected.

"I thought you knew everything," she said.

"What is Lex up to, Waller?" he asked.

"I don't know, and I don't care!" she said, rather perfunctorily.

"Ok, then, let's try another way," he said, getting back to his original self. The next moment, she found his icy cold blue eyes peering into her own
"What are you up to?"

Waller gaped as his warm breath touched her face, his hand gripped her shoulder. For a moment, she thought that her heart had stopped. But then, she recovered.
"You recovered pretty fast," she said.

"Don't try my patience," he warned her.

She frowned. "I wasn't going for an idle chatter. I was making my point."

"What point?" he frowned.

"How did you recover so fast?" she asked suggestively.

He did not answer, and his grip on her loosened. So did his command over the situation.

"A healing ray!" she said, satisfied at having redeemed her control over him.

"What is your point?" he asked impatiently.

"Cadmus is a force for good," she said.

"You don't expect me to believe that," he snapped.

"It's the same way I feel when you say that the Justice League is a force for good!" she shrugged.

He grunted his teeth, more out of frustration than anger. She had stolen the point he was going to make.

"Can you guarantee that what happened in the world of the Justice Lords will not happen in this world?" she asked.

He had no answer. He wasn't sure. She was right. He had warned Superman of the same when he ordered to exile Doomsday to the phantom zone. Now, it was hard for him to take his side.

"I won't let that happen," he muttered, more to himself than to her. But she got it.

"I cannot trust you," she said bluntly, "You are one of them!"

"I am not…" his voice trailed off. She raised her eye brow.

"Do you want to prove your statement?" she asked. He did not reply. He wasn't aware that he had taken a step back.

"The kind of relationships you have developed with the League over the past few years renders you incapable of taking the necessary action." she said, adjusting her seat.

"You don't know me," he muttered.

"On the contrary, I know you too well," she said. "Should I start with you and Superman, the brother you never had? Or you and Wonder Woman, the new love of your life?"

He tried hard not to flinch. For once, he was being overpowered, and he hated that.

"Let me ask you something, Batman," she said, leaning forward, "Would you take down Superman if you had to?"

"I definitely would," he said, in his deep cold voice. He did not let the uncertainty be noticed.

"I don't think so," she shook her head.

He lost his temper.
"I have contingency mechanisms against each of them. If they go wrong, I won't hesitate for a minute before using them."

"What if you are taken down even before you get a chance to use them?" she pointed out.

"What are you talking about?" he frowned.

"If Superman chooses to, how long will it take for him to kill you?" she asked, but did not wait for an answer. "Your hand won't reach your utility belt before you are reduced to mere ash."

He had to speak, but he did know what. He didn't know if it was the fact that he wouldn't stop the league or he couldn't stop the League which frustrated him more.

"It was just a food for thought, Batman! Go do the math. I'll be waiting for an answer."

She turned around and pointed at the door.
"Help yourself out…"

By the time she turned back to him, he was nowhere to be seen.

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He had been sitting there for an hour now, but he wasn't aware of it. The hot coffee he had poured into his cup was not far from being hot. That did not seem to bother him, as he kept sipping it, occasionally. He had been going through his dialogue with Waller, again and again. The more he thought about it, the more was inclined to believe that Waller was right. He tried to picture Superman, the bright red aura around his eyes as he prepared for attack. Keeping Superman's speed in perspective and as the base case, he tried to picture his own actions. It seemed like a time warp. He tried to get the accurate positions, the measurements, and the amount by which he would fall short. But it wasn't the job of his mind. It was the job of a computer. But for some internal compulsion on his part, he did not give up. And this time, he felt, actually felt, certain warmth touch his face as the laser beams left his eyes and made his way towards him.

His eyes closed shut, his mind's eyes, and his instinctive hand found its way to cover his face. Instead of a piercing beam, he felt a splash of a hot liquid on his face.

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to!" he heard a voice. He felt someone grip his head and rub the liquid off his face. And then he felt a cold breeze run across, which almost made him shiver.

"Are you all right?" the anxious voice came in again. For a moment he thought that he was blinded, for he could see nothing. And then he realized that he had actually shut his eyes.

"Superman!" he said in a muffled tone, "When did you come?"

"We are all here!" came a voice from behind. It was Hawk Girl's. Superman looked in that direction and smiled and said, "I won, now pay up!"

"What's going on?" he demanded.

And this time, the answer came from his right.
"We were trying out all possible ways to wake you up!" said Flash. "Hawk Girl was going to use her club, while Superman wagered that the smell of a good hot cup of coffee would do."

"I wasn't sleeping." He shook his head.

"Ok, sleeping or meditating," said Diana, gripping his shoulder from behind.

"Or brooding," Superman added. Diana nodded.

"You were spooking us out," she continued, "We thought that you were in some kind of pain without realizing it."

He stopped to evaluate his surroundings for a while. He was in the sanctity of his room in the watch tower, the place he was meant to be. And they were not supposed to be here.

"What were you doing here?" he asked, more confidently.

"I was here to begin with," Diana said, "I was going to summon you for the medical examination. You left rather abruptly during your last session with the healing ray."

"I'm fine," he said bluntly.

"We'll let Jonn be the judge of it," Superman cut him off.

"Anyways," Hawk Girl took over, "You were squishing that cup of coffee and your face showed signs of mental trauma. Diana was naturally alarmed, especially when she could not get you out of it. She called for help and we were all here."

Superman took it there.
"I walked in a little late, as I was at the hangar and was working on Javelin, along with Jonn. And luckily for you, I came in at the right time, for Shayera was going to hit you with her mace."

"Only as a last resort," Shayera spoke in self-defense.

"Well whatever the reason," Diana said, "you should take some more rest. It was too much to take, even for you. And clearly the after effects as showing up."

"There are no after effects," he retorted, "And I've been in situations worse than this."

"Whatever you say," spoke Diana, unperturbed by his outburst, "You are going to have another session with the healing ray. And then you are going to get a good sleep. We are not going to let you out of watch tower within the next 24 hours." She looked at Superman, and he nodded in agreement.

"And what makes you think you can restrain me?" he asked. The question would've been a rhetorical one, but clearly, he expected an answer.

"Bruce," Diana spoke softly, bending down to him and bringing her palm to cup his face, "There are at least two of us in this room who possess the power to do that."

He knew whom she was referring to.

And he had his answer!

And for that one moment, he grudged the thought of having to pursue it further. But then Waller's words rang in his ears. They had gotten too close already. What is Waller was right? The speed of his reaction could be worked upon, but what about the mental aspect of it.

Something had to be done…