Amoroso --  by BillA1

Copyright April 2007

 

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: The characters Batman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Superman & Flash and their respective secret identities are all owned by DC Comics. The character names David Keel, Catherine Gale, Michael (Mike) Gambit, Lady Diana Forbes-Blakeney and Venus Smith are owned by StudioCanal Image S.A. This story is intended for my own pleasure and is not for profit. It has been posted to this site for others to read. Places and characters not own by DC or StudioCanal are my own creation. This story is based on characters from the animated Justice League Unlimited series episode: Alive! written by Matt Wayne and Destroyer by Dwayne McDuffie. References material in Contains Language by Merlin Missy.  Referenced plays are by William Shakespeare.  A huge shout out of thanks to Merlin Missy and XFFan_2000 for their beta on this story. However, any mistakes they missed are mine.

 

 

Amoroso

 

Rating: (PG-13)

Synopsis: Six of the Seven are hooked on a feeling and the feeling is oh so wrong. Spoilers up through Destroyer.

 

 

 

 

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PROLOGUE

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(Deep Space - Twenty-fours hours before Superman and Darkseid battle in Metropolis)

 

 "I'll get out of this and when I do...."

 

He didn't finish his sentence as the vacuum of space pulled him out of the airlock and into the dark void. As he watched the airlock close and his headquarters disappear in the distance, Grodd fought the urge to hold his breath.

 

But it was cold, so unbelievably cold.

 

The gorilla concentrated on expelling the last bit of air in his lungs, knowing that in the vacuum of space, lungs full of air would be fatal. He knew he had ten, maybe fifteen seconds, of consciousness left from the time he was sucked out into space before the laws of physics and biology would end his life.

 

A life shouldn't end in anger or in regret, he thought as he felt consciousness slipping away.

 

He had but one. He should have snapped Luthor's neck when he had the chance ... and maybe he should have told Giganta the truth.

 

As paralysis set in, a white light embraced him and he wondered what the afterlife held for a gorilla named Grodd.

 

 

 

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CHAPTER ONE

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If music be the food of love, play on; - Twelfth Night

 

(Metropolis - Six months later)

 

David Keel waited until the guy -- couldn't call him a customer because he hadn't bought anything -- was out the door before he cursed loudly. Catherine winced, but she kept on shelving the last of the new shipment before she joined him at the counter.

 

"You know," he said, tossing his sales book on the counter, "people like that make me hate eBay."

 

Catherine smiled. "I know. They come here to get information, and you're way too quick to give it to them. Once you make them smart, they know what to look for on the internet. You've gotta talk less, Boss."

 

Keel shook his head and said nothing as Catherine glanced at her watch. "The bank next door is open," she said abruptly seeming to sense his continuing disgust. "I'll get yesterday's receipts ready for deposit."

 

Keel nodded as Catherine stepped into the back room to open the safe and get the previous day's receipts. Maybe Catherine was right. Maybe he was too quick to show off how much he knew about electronic hardware and didn't work hard enough to close the sale.

 

Just then, two young men walked into the store and Keel's eyes narrowed. One of the men was in the store yesterday. The other man had on a blue pin-striped uniform and a tool box. Keel didn't remember seeing him before.

 

The man that Keel recognized approached him as the other one walked toward the back of the store.

 

"Hey!" Keel yelled at the man walking to the rear of the store toward the stockroom.

 

The young man dressed in red sweats positioned himself in front of Keel. "Easy there. I want a couple of minutes of your time."

 

"Where's that other guy going?" Keel started to move toward the backroom where Catherine was. Red Sweats stepped in front of him blocking his way.

 

"He's just making sure we're alone. Are you ready to accept the offer I made yesterday?"

 

"I'm not selling. And even if I were selling, your offer is a third of what I can get for this place. Now you and your thug get out of my store before I call the police!"

 

Red Sweats sneered. "Accepting my offer might mean you'd live long enough to enjoy it. Know this: My boss wants to buy you out and he gets what he wants. I'm sure you'd hate for that pretty young thing in the backroom to pay because you wouldn't sell out." Red Sweats glared at Keel.

 

"You and this boss of yours, whoever he is, don't scare me. Now get out or stand there and watch me call the cops." Keel moved to his telephone. He wasn't a young man anymore, but Keel wasn't going to let some street punk scare him into anything.

 

Red Sweats looked at Keel flatly. "You have ten minutes to call this number and let my boss know you want to sell." He tossed a business card on the counter and called back toward the stockroom. "I'm done." The man in the blue striped uniform came out and joined Red Sweats at the door.

 

Keel looked at the card. It was blank except for a phone number scribbled in pencil. Keel tore the card in half and dropped it on the counter, making sure it was out of the reach of either man. He figured he'd keep the card and give it to the police after he made sure Catherine was okay.

 

Red Sweats shook his head. "And I thought you were smart. That was a stupid thing you just did," he said. "You shoulda taken my offer. You're gonna find it was the best you were going to get. You now have five minutes, big man."

 

As soon the two men left the shop, Keel rushed back to the stockroom to check on Catherine.

 

"Are you okay?" Keel asked. He was surprised and relieved to see Catherine seated at the small desk in the stockroom. The deposit bag was on the desk in front of her, and she had a cup of coffee in her hand.

 

"I'm fine," she said. "But, that electrician you sent back here to fix the electrical short in the light switch in the bathroom was really creepy. Naturally, I made sure the safe was locked while he was back here. He went in the bathroom, made the repair, then left. Funny thing is, I never noticed the short before." She took a sip of her coffee.

 

"He wasn't an electrician. He was some thug who was supposed to keep you occupied while his partner threatened me into selling the business. Told me I had five minutes to sell. Left me a card that I ripped in half in front of him and left on the counter." He paused and took a deep breath. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay before I called the police."

 

Catherine nodded. "Like I said, he paid no attention to me at all. He announced there was a problem and went straight into the bathroom and came ... out." She paused, dropping her cup on the desk. "Oh, my God! The bathroom!"

 

In an act Catherine would later tell him was extremely stupid, Keel raced past her to the bathroom and threw open the door. He would later tell her that he didn't remember breathing after he opened the door and saw the digital clock counting down past the thirty second mark.

 

Catherine must have seen it too because her voice joined his in shouting, "A bomb!"

 

They both ran out the front door and just made it to the street as David Keel's small electronic parts shop disappeared in a flash of orange and white light, thunderous noise, black smoke and fire.

 

(Two days later. The Conference Room at the Metrotower)

 

Wally was late for the meeting. Again. Well, technically he was on-time. It was just that everyone else was already seated when he got there. Ignoring the stares, he sat down next to Diana. At least she wouldn't glare at him as long as the others would.

 

Wait. He wasn't late. J'onn wasn't here yet. Wally grinned.

 

Normally, these weekly staff meetings went mid-afternoon at the Watchtower, but Superman had changed the time and place of today's meeting to early morning at the Metrotower. Wally suspected that it had something to do with Supes 'day job,' but he loved living too much to ask for confirmation.

 

Supes had a pencil and a piece of paper in front of him. Wally couldn't make out what Superman was writing, but it looked like he was slowly writing the same word over and over again.

 

The room was quiet. Shayera and John sat across from each other with Bats and Supes sitting between them.

 

Diana finally broke the silence. "Anyone hear from J'onn?"

 

"Isn't it Chinese New Year or something?" Wally said. "Maybe he's celebrating it."

 

GL frowned. "Why don't you just say you don't know?"

 

Before Wally could say anything to Mister Grumpypants, Diana chimed in. "Well, it is Chinese New Year, Lantern."

 

Wally resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at John. "Told ya."

 

"Actually, the rumor I heard from the kitchen staff was that Ming wasn't feeling well," Shayera said.

 

"And we know the kitchen gossip is always reliable." Batman said. He assumed his 'I've better things to do than be here' posture.

 

The air conditioner kicked on, blowing a blast of warm air into the room and for some reason, Wally suddenly had a yen for a glazed donut.

 

"I said it was just a rumor, Batman," Shayera snapped.

 

Diana wiped her fingers across her brow. "Does it seem stuffy in this room to anyone else."

 

Shayera stood. "Stuffy? Is that some sort of snide remark directed at me?"

 

Wally half-expected Diana to jump up as well, and prepared himself to throw himself between them if necessary.

 

His jaw dropped when Diana answered sweetly, "Not at all, honey. I meant stuffy as in hot in here ... very warm."

 

John motioned with his hand for Shayera to sit. She glared at him as she did. He said, "It does feel a little warm in here and Shayera, you shouldn't be so quick to take --- wait a minute." GL's head whipped around to look at Diana. "Did you just call Shayera 'honey'?"

 

Diana was taken aback. "No," she stammered. "I most certainly did not." She looked at Bats for confirmation, but was even more flustered when he nodded a disinterested 'yes you did.' Wally couldn't ever remember hearing the Princess stammer or get rattled about anything.

 

Diana turned to Supes. "Did I call Shayera 'honey?'"

 

"No one asked me, but you did," Shayera grunted. She flashed a tight smile at Bats.

 

Diana got no help from Supes either. "I got it," he said. "It's an anagram."

 

"Huh?"

 

Superman sighed. "Oh, sorry, Diana. I was thinking of something else." He paused. "And yes, you did call Shayera 'honey.' Anyway, I'll keep this brief. We have an application for membership from someone out of Omaha who calls herself the Illusionist. Anyone know anything about her?"

 

"Her? I can check her out," Wally volunteered. He frowned as his offer was greeted by silence.

 

"If no one has any experience working with her, then she'll undergo the standard review," Supes said. He stood and stuck the paper he'd been working on in a pocket in his cape. "Oh, one other thing, J'onn won't be with us for the next couple of weeks. Ming broke her ankle and J'onn won't leave her for anything less than an Omega level call."

 

Shayera glanced at Batman. "Well, I guess that will teach me to listen to the hired help, won't it?"

 

"Are we finished here?" Bats said. It wasn't a question.

 

"No, we're not," Supes said. "But this will be a short meeting."

 

"Did everyone see the published watch list for the next two weeks?" he continued as he looked around the table. He glanced at Shayera. "Sorry, Shayera. I know it was your turn to be the alternative watch stander this month, but with J'onn gone, you'll end up taking his watch days."

 

Shayera frowned as Bats quipped, "Guess the kitchen staff didn't tell you that part, did they?"

 

Superman ignored him as he continued, "Any questions on the assignments? Okay." He sighed loudly. "Speaking of the Question ...."

 

He paused to allow the groans that routinely followed the Question's name to subside, then Superman said, "He sent his third request to the kitchen staff last night asking them not to use tomatoes from California in the spaghetti sauce anymore. Supposedly, the minerals in the ground where they grow the tomatoes can be irradiated by satellite so the Government can tell who eats domestic tomatoes and who eats foreign grown fruit."

 

Wally shook his head as he looked at Bats. "How'd he pass the standard review again?" Everyone looked at Batman, who frowned as Supes said, "Bruce, please handle this." He handed Bats what Wally assumed to be the Question's request.

 

"The accounting department," Supes said changing the subject, "is forecasting the gift shop outside the Metrotower will make a profit in the third quarter, but will still finish the year with a loss. The most popular moneymakers seem to be the Batman ashtrays and the twelve inch Vixen dolls."

 

Wally grinned. "Okay, I can understand the Vixen dolls because they're cute, but who would want to put their cigarette butts out on Bats' face? Oh. Wait. Never mind."

 

GL turned toward Wally and snapped, "Don't give up your day job, comedian." Then he turned to Diana, "I don't understand why we have to sell this stuff, anyway. Selling our images and playing into this hero worship stuff is beneath us."

 

"How do you think we pay for all the lime Jell-O your girlfriend eats?" Shayera smirked. Wally snickered as John frowned.

 

Supes' expression remained flat as he glanced quickly at Bats, then to GL. "It takes money to run this place and pay the support staff. No funding source is off the table, no matter how much it might offend your sensibilities."

 

"You know," Wally offered. "Maybe they should consider selling full size inflatable Vixen dolls. Bet that would help them turn a profit for the year."

 

Diana nudged Wally so hard in the arm he thought she'd put a hole in it.

 

"Owww!" he yelped. Rubbing his arm, he added, "Okay, it was a bad idea, but he said nothing was off the table."

 

"Okay, that one is," Supes said. Then he turned to Shayera. "And to be fair, I eat as much lime Jell-O as Vixen and would be disappointed if we didn't have it anymore."

 

Bats snarled, "Let's keep this meeting moving. What else you got? I have places to be."

 

Supes shook his head. "Last thing, the air conditioning went out last night here in the Metrotower. Apparently, the compressor froze up." He paused a heartbeat before adding, "I gotta go, but here's hoping for a quiet night and a quiet week." Supes nodded to all and then walked briskly out of the conference room without uttering another word.

 

The others stood and John approached Diana. "Can I see you before you go?"

 

Diana nodded. "Sure, I'll be here all day. I have watch." Wally noticed that Diana stared at Shayera as she approached Bats.

 

"Bruce ... I ... Can I talk to you later?" Shayera said.

 

"I'll be in the computer room," Bats growled. "Make it quick." Then he turned and walked away.

 

Wally tapped John on the shoulder. "Hey buddy, I didn't mean anything by the inflatable doll comment with Vixen. We're still good, aren't we?

 

GL nodded, but he never took his eyes off Diana.

 

"So, is Vixen around today?" Wally asked trying to sound matter of fact.

 

GL shook his head and looked at him. "Nah. She's in Sydney, Australia at some charity modeling event. "

 

"Cool, you wouldn't happen to know exactly where in Sydney, would you?"

 

"I think she said the Convention Center or something like that. I really don't pay that much attention to where she goes anymore. Why?"

 

"Oh, I owe her some information," Wally said as he zipped out the door. Next stop, Australia.

 

 

Diana sat down at her station, made her entry in the watch commander's log and assumed her watch at the Metrotower. Crimson Fox and Fire were on duty with her, watching the monitor screens in front of them.

 

Diana only had one thought on her mind. Did she really call Shayera 'honey?'

 

She didn't remember saying that, but the others seem so certain she did. Well, if she did, it was an accident and would not be repeated.

 

She knew John followed her to the duty room, but she'd been so wrapped up with what she did or did not call Shayera that she'd forgotten he was there until he leaned over her and said, "How are you and Bruce getting along?"

 

Momentarily startled, Diana quickly recovered and stood. "I beg your pardon. I don't believe that's any of your business."

 

He stepped back and looked her in the eyes. "Your happiness should be Bruce's business and from where I stand he's doing a poor job of keeping you happy. Look, we both know Bruce is too wrapped up with his nightlife to spend any real time with you. Why don't you let me show you some of the nightlife that's out there in the galaxy? I know a great spot on Altair IV that you would love."

 

Using his ring, he projected a picture of a busy street with nightclubs and flashing neon signs that reminded her of the Las Vegas strip, except for the obvious alien life forms moving through the crowded thoroughfare. His projection zoomed in to a particular nightclub located on the main street.

 

"Here," he said as he stepped closer to her and pointed to the nightclub. "They have the best rum in the universe. Of course, they don't call it rum, but wait 'til you taste it. It's nectar worthy of someone as beautiful as you."

 

Diana's eyes widened. "Lantern, are you feeling okay?"

 

"I feel wonderful, Diana, whenever I'm around you, and I want the world to know it."

 

Stunned, Diana plopped down in her chair, her face frozen on his. "Great Hera, what are you trying to say?"

 

 

(Fifteen minutes later - Daily Planet)

 

"Like I told the police, Miss Lane, that's all I remember," Keel said. "If we hadn't got out of there when we did, there wouldn't be enough of Catherine or me to put in a soup spoon." He tightly gripped the cup of coffee Lois had given him, took a sip and sighed. "If only I had kept that card instead of ripping it up. I was so concerned about Catherine and I wanted those men out of my store."

 

"Where is Miss," Lois paused and checked her notes, "Gale now?"

 

"Probably at home. She was a bit shaken."

 

Lois arched an eyebrow and the man lowered his head. "Okay," he admitted. "We were both shaken. I hope the police find the guys who blew up my store, because I'm ruined. My insurance company said they'd have to investigate the matter before they settle the claim. That could be months. And now the shopping mall landlord says they won't allow me to re-open the store because of the suspicious nature of the fire. He says he plans to sue me for damages." He put his Styrofoam coffee cup down on Lois' desk, and brought his fist to his lips, "I'm going to have to let Catherine go. She'll be heartbroken."

 

Lois nodded. She remembered reading the report that the fire started in the rear stockroom area ignited by an explosive device. The device had been detonated with an electronic timing fuse, similar to the items Keel sold in his store. Miss Gale had stated that she didn't remember seeing the man in the red sweat suit in the store the day before and didn't get a good enough look at the fake electrician to be able to identify him from police mug shots or a line-up.

 

"Lois!"

 

Kent was standing outside Perry's office. "Perry wants to see you. He's got an assignment for us."

 

Lois looked at Keel as she rose. "Excuse me a moment," she said as she locked her desk and grabbed her pen and notebook. "I'll be right back."

 

She briskly walked to Perry's office, opened the door and saw Smallville standing behind Perry's chair. The bells went off in her head as her brain screamed: Ambush.

 

Perry looked up. "Find out anything you can use from that store owner?"

 

Lois took a deep breath. "No,'" she admitted. "No more than I knew before."

 

"Okay. I want you to put that part of the story on hold for a minute." Perry leaned back in his chair as Kent stepped from behind him and stood beside the desk. "Clark has an angle to this story that may help you."

 

Lois' eyes narrowed. "Oh? An angle to my story?"

 

"My sources tell me that there have been three other fires in the last ten days within two blocks of the electronic store that burned the other day."

 

"Coincidence, Smallville. Fires happen all the time in Metropolis." But her reporter's radar had gone off. Kent just might be on to something, but she wasn't prepared to concede it yet.

 

"Yeah," he answered. "But all the stores owners were insured by the same company, Omiex Insurance."

 

Lois frowned. Okay, now he's got something, she thought to herself. "Interesting," she said trying to keep a poker face.

 

"I though so, too," Perry said. He looked at Clark. "Tell her the other part."

 

Kent cleared his throat and wrote in his notebook the letters: O-M-I-E-X, showed it to Lois and then wrote underneath it, M-O-X-I-E. "See? It's an anagram."

 

"Moxie Manheim. Boss Moxie," Perry said before Lois could say anything, "the alleged new leader of Intergang since Superman and Supergirl defeated Granny Goodness when she controlled the group. Intergang has been quiet for months. Maybe this is Moxie's way of re-introducing the gang." He looked at Lois. "I want you and Clark to work on this together. Find out if Intergang is back in business."

 

Lois rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on Perry, give me a break. This is my story." She leaned on Perry's desk. "No offense, Smallville, but I'd rather work on this alone."

 

"And I'd rather be in Arkansas," Perry answered firmly. "But I'm not. I'm here and you two are going to work this story together. Understand?"

 

Lois nodded. She knew when she was beaten, but she had one trick left up her sleeve. She turned to Perry. "Okay, Clark can talk to the other store owners. Mr. Keel and I will find out what the status of his insurance claim is."

 

"But," was all Kent managed to say before Perry stood.

 

"Excellent! You two get out of here and bring me back a page one story."

 

Lois spun around and walked out of Perry's office, ignoring Kent's protest, with the widest grin she could manage.

 

(The Sydney Convention Center)

 

"Ninety seconds, Miss Macabe," the floor manager announced.

 

Mari had squeezed herself, cursing, into a gown that was at least one size too small. The gown would have fit her a year ago. Now it was too tight, at least five pounds too tight, she estimated. She'd have to diet to make sure she was ready for her gig next week. The only saving grace was that if she took shallow breaths and small steps and made sure she didn't sit or lean over, she and the gown would make it through the night.

 

She'd invited John to attend this event while she worked, but he'd begged off with a 'duty calls' response. Lately, that had been his answer to everything. If she wasn't so secure in her relationship with him, she'd be suspicious of the way John and Shayera always seemed to be together, always sharing time together, always reducing Mari's time with John.

 

Yeah. If she weren't so secure....

 

"Hi, Babe."

 

The words were right, but the voice was wrong. She spun on her heels and came face to face with the Flash. For a moment she wondered how'd he got past security, but realized she was talking about the Flash.

 

"Flash? What are you doing here?" She tried to keep her voice light. "Is anything wrong?"

 

Flash grinned. "Yes, something is very wrong. I don't know how to put this so I'll come out and say it. GL is my best friend, but you and I both know he's never going to fully commit to you, right? And you deserve much better than you're getting from him. So I said to myself, you could use someone who can only think of you. Don't you think so?"

 

Mari glared at the man in front of her. "My relationship with the Green Lantern is none of your business."

 

Did everyone know all the details of her relationship with John? She knew the seven talked among themselves, but she never figured John to be indiscreet. Then she had a thought, a dreaded thought. "Wait! Did John send you?" After all, Flash was John's best friend. Surely he wouldn't ask Flash to break up with her on his behalf.

 

"No," the Flash answered as he stepped next to her. "He didn't. I'm here because I never knew how strongly I felt about you until today. I can't get you out of my head." He paused, quickly kissed her on the lips and said, "Vixen, I think I love you."

 

Mari's jaw dropped and as she quickly stepped back from his embrace, the seam on the side of her gown gave way and split open with a sickening ripping sound.

 

 

 

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CHAPTER TWO

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Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind. - A Midsummer's Night Dream

 

(Baxter Building, Metropolis)

 

"Lois Lane of the Daily Planet. I want to get a statement from the agent handling Mr. Keel's claim regarding why you don't plan to immediately settle."

 

The Omiex Insurance Company was located on the fifth floor of the prestigious Baxter Building in downtown Metropolis. Keel had taken his own car to his insurance company while Lois followed in hers. She was surprised when she opened the frosted glass door to find a bustling office with fifteen to twenty people at their desks in cubicles, conducting business.

 

Lois wasn't sure what she'd expected. Based on Smallville's assertion of possible Intergang connections, she expected the place to be crawling with stereotypical gangster types in dark cheap suits and gum chewing gun molls, but that certainly wasn't the case. The office staff appeared to be professionally dressed and mannered. She was sure that they didn't know she was coming, so she was confident that what she was seeing was not a show being put on for her benefit.

 

The young receptionist momentarily looked up from her computer screen at Lois' press pass before turning her attention to Keel. "Do you remember your agent's name?" she asked. Lois noted that nameplate on the desk read: Diana Forbes.

 

"No," Keel answered. "But here's a copy of my policy." He handed Forbes his papers.

 

"Found it," she said brightly after she entered the policy number in the computer. She smiled again. "Mr. Gambit is your claims agent. Please have a seat over there and he'll be with you in a moment." She pointed to the chairs in a visitor's area in front of her desk.

 

Lois and Keel had been seated just a few minutes when a man approached and introduced himself. "Mister Keel? I'm Michael Gambit, your claims agent. We've spoken on the phone. First, let me say again how sorry I am for your loss. If you and Mrs. Keel will follow me back to my desk, I'll give you an update on your claim."

 

Keel's eyes widened. "But she's not -- "

 

Lois cut him off before he could finish his sentence. "Now, David, let's follow the nice man to his office and hear what he has to say," she said as she followed Gambit back to his cubicle pulling a very puzzled David Keel by the hand.

 

(Daily Planet)

 

She'd gotten him good, Clark thought to himself. But then that was typical Lois and he found that aspect of her personality so endearing. He'd spent much of last hour on the phone interviewing the business owners whose stores had been fire bombed. Their stories had been pretty consistent. A street thug came into the stores claiming to be acting on behalf of his boss, and made a ridiculously low offer to buy the stores. The owners refused and the stores were bombed the following day, putting the owner out of business. The insurance company was slow to settle all the claims.

 

Clark leaned back in his chair. If Intergang was behind this, why blow up the store? Why not just strong-arm the owner into selling? And if they were using an insurance company as a cover for an extortion racket, didn't extortion work best if you made sure the victim could continue to make payments?

 

He pursed his lips together in a tight line and looked up the Dunn and Bradstreet file on Omiex Insurance Company. The only answer D&B gave him was that Omiex appeared to be a legitimate, licensed concern with twenty years of service and a superior business rating. It had begun life as a LexCorp company and was one of the many companies Mercy Graves sold off in order to keep LexCorp profitable while Luthor was in jail.

 

Maybe he was wrong about it being an anagram. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Clark shook his head. Nah, he was certain he had it right. But it wouldn't hurt to check out the crime scene.

 

(Sydney)

 

Mari knew how to handle the over-zealous fans because she had many of them. But, this was different. Flash had a reputation as a harmless flirt, but he didn't seem harmless to her at the moment. Not after he kissed her.

 

"I hope they don't arrest you," the Flash said.

 

"Huh?" Mari said as she contemplated the best way to handle the split seam.

 

She could hide it by keeping her arms close to her side as she walked. No one would know it was damaged until she took it off and then she'd say it happened while she was stepping out of the gown.

 

She knew it would be professional suicide for her to call a seamstress over to mend the gown while she was still in it. Word would be out all over the world before the end of the night that Mari Jiwe Macabe was too fat to model.

 

"For stealing my heart," the Flash continued. Mari rolled her eyes, then immediately wished she hadn't because she didn't want it to appear to be a sign of encouragement.

 

She almost didn't hear the floor manager say, "Thirty seconds, Miss Macabe."

 

Mari acknowledged the voice with a curt nod. "Flash, I'm ... I'm flattered, but I'm not interested in you in any way other than professionally. Do you understand what I'm saying? We can talk more later, but I have to go to work now." She moved to the stage curtain and waited for her musical cue.

 

"I bet you like roses. You seem like a rose person. How about if I get you a dozen roses? I know a real nice florist in Central City. I can be back in a minute. Any faster than that and the roses will get damaged."

 

"Flash! Listen to me. Please stop!"

 

"You know, 'Fastest Man Alive' is my title, but I can also be real slow when it matters, if you know what I mean."

 

"That's enough! I want you to stop it! Now!"

 

Mari placed her fingers on her totem. She'd smack some sense into him if he didn't stop, busted seam or not. Her musical cue started.

 

"Miss Macabe?" whispered the anxious floor manager.

 

"Excuse me, but I'm on," she said as icily to Flash as she could.

 

"Yes, you are. You are so on my heart and in my mind." He grabbed her arm.

 

"That does it!" She assumed the speed of the cheetah and swung to slap his face. The Flash sidestepped her swing and caught her just before her momentum caused her to fall to the floor. She could hear the rest of the stitches along the side of her gown rip completely out.

 

She was ruined.

 

"Look at what you made me do! Will you please just leave me alone!!" she snapped in a voice she'd later read could be heard in the tenth row.

 

The Flash frowned. "Sure. Just one thing, Vixen. Where am I and why am I here?"

 

 

Lois listened as Mr. Gambit explained why his company was slow to make a preliminary offer to settle the claim. They didn't have the fire investigator reports yet. They also didn't have a store inventory listing from Keel, though Keel said he didn't remember being asked for a list. Finally, and Gambit took special care to mention it twice, they needed to wait to be sure that criminal charges wouldn't be filed against Keel negating their responsibility to pay the claim.

 

"So how long will it take you get all of this stuff sorted out?" Lois asked angrily.

 

Gambit shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, ma'am. But I want to assure you that we're not sitting on our hands. We have our own investigators working on his claim as well as several others."

 

Lois inwardly smiled as she asked, "You've had other stores damaged in explosions lately?"

 

Gambit frowned. "Yes, but that has no influence on your claim." He stood. "I promise we'll settle your claim as soon as we have enough information to do so. It should only be another couple of days." He looked at Lois and said, "I'll walk you both to the door."

 

He walked them back to the reception area and said, "Again, I'm sorry for your loss."

 

The receptionist stood as they approached. "A word with you, Mr. Gambit," Forbes said as she pulled him aside.

 

Lois noticed that whatever Forbes whispered to Gambit made him glare at her and frown. Gambit nodded at the receptionist who returned to her desk as he returned to Lois and Keel. He opened the office door. "Good day, Mr. Keel. Good day, Miss Lane!"

 

Keel and Lois looked at each other and then they walked out as Gambit closed the door with a loud click.

 

 

This was the last site. Clark stood outside of the remains of David Keel's store.

 

At the other sites, Clark had used his x-ray vision to see if there was anything unusual in the debris. The problem was that at each site there were several dump trucks being filled with trash and rubble from the destroyed stores, and two had already been cleared entirely. Anything that might have piqued Clark's interest was already loaded on a truck and gone.

 

Well, not quite. At the site of Keel's store, there was a woman gingerly stepping over the rubble on the ground. She looked to be a little older than Lois, but about her height. She was dressed so casually in a shirt, jeans and leather gloves that Clark at first thought she was part of the clean-up crew. She wore a Gotham Knights baseball cap over her short black hair. Clark did a double take. Her resemblance to Vixen was remarkable. If the woman saw him, she completely ignored him as she dropped to her knees and started to shift through the rubbish as if she was looking for something.

 

Clark approached. "Can I help you find something?"

 

She continued gently moving the debris around and didn't look up as she said, "Light. You're standing in my light."

 

"Oh. Sorry," Clark said as he stepped aside. "I'm Clark Kent with the Daily Planet."

 

"A reporter? I've no comment. This is private property and I'll ask you to leave." The woman didn't look up.

 

Clark smiled to himself. "Would you at least tell me the name of the person who is not giving me a comment?"

 

The woman looked up at Kent and stood. She did not smile. "Smith. Venus Smith, an investigator for Steed International. That's who has no statement for the press. Does that satisfy you, Mr. Kent?"

 

Clark squatted near her feet. "Not really. I would be more satisfied if you told me what you were looking for."

 

Smith's eyes narrowed. "Three hundred seventy six dollars and eighty one cents."

 

Clark chuckled. "That's a pretty exact amount. And you dropped it in this mess?"

 

"Should be in a blue zippered deposit bag near this desk." She pointed to a twisted and partially melted slab of metal that Clark would never have figured to have been a desk seventy-two hours ago. "Don't expect to recover it intact, but I need proof that it existed."

 

"Let me help you," Clark said as he knelt down and slid his glasses down his nose a little. Without waiting for her to answer, he moved some trash around in the general area he was kneeling, while he searched the surrounding area with his x-ray vision for anything that could have been money.

 

He found it about a foot behind where she was standing and about three inches below her. "I'll search over here, why don't you search the area behind you?" he said without looking up at her. She stood over him for a moment, then turned around and started looking in the area Clark suggested.

 

About a minute later, Smith let out a triumphant "Yes!" She gently scooped the melted bag and its fire damaged contents into a large baggie.

 

"I think that calls for an interview," Clark said turning toward her, "since I helped you find it. Don't you agree?"

 

Smith shook her head, stood and frowned. "Not so fast. You answer my questions first, then maybe I'll answer one of yours. What were you doing here?"

 

Clark stood and said, "Following up on a lead." He smiled. "My turn. Did Omiex hire you to investigate the insurance claim?"

 

Her eyes narrowed. "You might say that. Have a good day, Mr. Kent." She turned to walk away.

 

"Wait!" Clark said. He decided to tell her some of what he knew. "I know that Omiex has had to pay on at least four businesses in a two block area that have been firebombed within the last week or so. At first, I thought it was someone trying to ruin four business owners because they wouldn't sell out, but the only common thread that links the businesses together is that they were all insured by Omiex."

 

She turned back to face him. Her stare was hard. Clark paused, tightened and straightened his tie as he said, "Now some would say that's a coincidence, but I don't believe in coincidence, Miss Smith. Do you?"

 

(Metrotower)

 

"Want another coffee? Donut?" John offered. Crimson Fox and Fire had wandered away from the watch stations, laughing and giggling like school children, leaving John and Diana alone. John was glad when those two left to go to the cafeteria.

 

He was disappointed that Diana wasn't as quick to encourage him on as Fire had been with Fox. It was as if Diana heard what he said and just ignored him. But John wasn't going to give up because Diana was more important to him than anyone on the planet. He could see that now.

 

Diana pressed her finger to her ear. She'd been trying to call Shayera over the commlink, but Shayera wouldn't answer. "Why won't she answer up? I hope she's okay." Diana sounded so sad. And if she was unhappy, John was unhappy.

 

"I'm sure she's fine," John said. He didn't know if Shayera really was, but honestly, at the moment, he didn't care. "You know," he added. "I think the thing which impresses me the most about you is your sheer determination. You just won't quit except when it comes to Bruce. I admire that in you. And I bet you like determination like that in your lovers, too."

 

Diana's eyes widened. Okay, maybe she was listening to him after all.

 

He stepped closer and before she could say anything, he added, "I've seen the way you look at me when you think I'm not watching you. But I'm always watching you. I've made it my business to watch you and know where you're at all the time."

 

"Lantern, I do like you," she shook her head, "but I don't feel the same way about you that you seem to feel about me." She sighed loudly. "In fact, I'm not sure what I feel any more. About anyone."

 

"Then let me help you sort your feelings. I'm crazy about you and I think deep down you feel the same way about me.

 

She looked deep into his eyes. "Lantern?"

 

"Yes?"

 

Diana's voice was soft. "You know Shayera as well as anyone, maybe better. Where does she go when she's not on duty?"

 

John frowned. "Let's not talk about Shayera. She's in the past." He smiled. "And call me John. Please. It would mean a lot to me for you to say my name."

 

Diana was silent for a moment before giving him a smile John would die for. Then she said, "Does she ever talk about me? Shayera, I mean."

 

He looked away. Until this moment, he didn't regret his decision to stay with Mari. After all, she'd been the safe choice. She would never question anything he'd do and she was always grateful for any time he'd spend with her.

 

Yes, Mari was safe. And a safe relationship was what John wanted, what he needed.

 

Shayera, on the other hand, had always wanted to be, as she put it, a friend and equal. But John finally realized after the Shadow Thief broke his arm that he could never forgive Shayera for breaking his heart. There'd be no place in his life for a 'friend and equal.'

 

And when he'd told Shayera that he wasn't interested in creating a future with her or the son he'd seen during his time travel adventure with Batman, she knew as well as he she'd have no long-term future with him.

 

But now there was Diana and she was twice the woman of either Mari or Shayera.

 

"How would I know?" John snapped. "She rarely talks to me now since I said I was staying with Mari." He shook his head. "Boy, was that a mistake."

 

"I would imagine that hurt her a lot," Diana said quietly. "I hope she's ready to move on. I mean, into another relationship."

 

John stared at Diana, then suddenly grasped her hand and looked deep in her eyes. "I don't care about Shayera's relationships or Mari's either. My mistake wasn't dumping Shayera or even letting Mari hang around. My mistake was denying my feelings for you. I'm tired of running from relationship to relationship, when we both have this wonderful thing in front of us."

 

 

Lois pulled her car in the Daily Planet parking garage. She'd said goodbye to Keel at the Baxter Building before coming back to the Planet. As she got out of her car, a black 1964 Lincoln Continental pulled up behind her car and blocked her exit.

 

A big burley man in an ill-fitting dark suit and dark glasses jumped out of the car and approached her. He had his hands up in the air and said, "Miss Lane, get in. The boss wants to see you."

 

"No," Lois said as she reached in her purse for her can of pepper spray. "I don't do rides in big cars with strange men. You tell your boss, whoever he is, to visit me in my office during business hours if he wants to talk to me. Now move on before I unload this can of spray on you."

 

The back passenger window of the Continental rolled down and from inside an old man called, "Lane, put the spray down. If I wanted you hurt, Killer would have hurt you before you got out of your car, understand?" He didn't wait for Lois to acknowledge as he continued. "Killer is not just his nickname."

 

Lois lowered the spray and approached the car, occasionally glancing over toward Killer. As she got closer, the back passenger door opened. Killer rushed to the door and held it as an old man struggled to climb out of the car.

 

"Walk with me, girlie." He started walking toward the back of the garage, leaning heavily on his cane as he went. Lois followed. Behind them, Killer started up the car, which purred quietly behind them as they walked.

 

"Lane, do you know who I am?" he asked as she sped up to stay abreast of him.

 

"No," Lois answered although she suspected. There was a strong family resemblance.

 

"My name is Manheim. Moxie Manheim. Bruno was my son." He didn't wait to see if Lois recognized his name, but instead continued walking. "I have no use for reporters who aren't on my payroll, but Bruno thought you were a smart dame when you two were captured by the Toyman a couple of years back. Bruno's gone now and I need to see how smart and how tough a cookie you are."

 

He stopped again and faced Lois. She put her can of pepper spray away. "I'm listening," she answered.

 

"Then listen good. I am very attached to Omiex. It's a legitimate business - has been for almost twenty years. But someone is trying to shake my company down and I don't go for shakedowns unless I'm the one doing the shaking, understand?"

 

Lois' narrowed her eyes. "So how are you attached to Omiex? Are you a silent partner? A vocal partner?"

 

"Not important, Lane!" he snapped. "Here's what's important for you. Omiex is not part of Intergang. Someone started bombing businesses Omiex insured a month ago. They said they would stop if Omiex paid three million dollars. Omiex didn't pay the blackmail and now they've got cash flow problems."

 

He signaled with his cane and the Continental pulled up alongside him. Killer got out and opened the back passenger door. Manheim turned to Lois. "If you find out who is shaking down Omiex, I want you to let me know before you print the story. I want to have a talk with them."

 

He stepped toward the car, turned and faced Lois again. "Lane, I'll be very disappointed if you find out before I do and don't tell me about it before you print the story. Are we clear?"

 

Lois took a deep breath. As Manheim got back into his car, Lois said, "You didn't answer my question. How are you connected to Omiex?" The Lincoln sped away without Manheim answering.

 

"Hey!" she shouted at the car. "How am I supposed to contact you?"

 

 

"Listen Kent, this is all off the record. If I see anything I say in print, I will make it my life's work to kick your tail, understand?"

 

Kent smirked and nodded. "Off the record. I promise."

 

"There have been seventeen losses for Omiex in the last month across the city," Venus said as she stared into her coffee cup. Kent had suggested they talk over coffee at the diner across the street from Keel's store. "What do you think the statistical odds of that are?"

 

Kent shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea, but you sound like you don't like the odds."

 

Venus pushed her cup aside. The late afternoon sunlight poured onto the table through dirty windows, creating long shadows that fell on the floor. "News of insurance company losses makes people look elsewhere for coverage, you know what I mean? They get nervous if they think their insurance company won't be around to pay off."

 

"No notes," Kent assured her.

 

She flashed a quick smile. "You know something, Mr. Kent? They call a flock of geese on the ground a gaggle and when that same flock is in the air it's called a skein. But you know what? It doesn't matter whether you kill it on the ground or in the air. A dead goose is a dead goose." She frowned. "And someone is trying to make a dead goose out of Omiex and I have to find out why."

 

(A cave outside of Metropolis)

 

Grodd looked out over the cave from his office on the ledge above. He knew this cave would have been the last place anyone would look for him assuming anyone thought he was still alive. The cave was similar to the one he'd used outside of Gotham years ago when he'd put together the Secret Society.

 

The white light that embraced him those many months ago was not death, but instead a resident of the planet New Genesis who was on his way home.

 

"The name is Sollis, but you can call me Lightray," the man said as he snatched Grodd within his energy field at the speed of light.  Grodd smiled to himself as he recalled that with a little mental persuasion, he'd convinced Lightray that he'd been captured by pirates who had stolen his ship and thrown him out an airlock.

 

Under Grodd's influence, Lightray felt that the only way to correct this injustice was to send Grodd back to the swamp on Earth using a boom tube and then go find the pirates who stole the gorilla's ship.

 

So, while the Justice League was engaged battling Darkseid, Grodd found this empty cave just west of the mountainous road leading to S.T.A.R. Labs. Over the last couple of months, he'd been able to move equipment into it. This new lair would never be as sophisticated as his last two headquarters, but it would be serviceable.

 

"Do you know if it's working?"

 

Killer Frost's voice broke his thoughts. Grodd looked at the blue-skinned woman and nodded. He'd found her after he put out a mental call to all those who had been loyal to him during the revolt. Crystal Frost was the only one that responded. She was also the only one still alive.

 

"It's working very well," he answered. "I sense a great deal of confusion at the Metrotower."

 

"So when do we attack?"

 

"We don't, my dear. We don't have sufficient numbers to make it interesting -- yet. Besides, the League will eventually find Toyman's little gift, figure out what it does and destroy it. But they won't know who's behind this plot and that will frustrate and frighten them all the more."

 

Killer Frost shook her head as Toyman joined her side.

 

Grodd had been surprised when Frost answered his mental summons and brought Toyman with her. He remembered that the last time he saw them together they were trying to kill one another. Now they couldn't keep their hands off each other. They made such a strange couple that Grodd strongly suspected Toyman had used his special mixture on Killer Frost first.

 

Grodd grinned as he put his hands behind his back. "The last time I attacked the League with my Secret Society, I made them hate each other. That was easy, but this is far more entertaining. Thanks to the aromatic stimulants of Toyman's chemical potpourri and a little push from my direction, the League is too busy following their desires to even think properly."

 

Frost nodded as if she really understood. Grodd doubted she did.

 

"When they finally figure out that what they feel for each other was chemically induced, they will have reason to doubt all of their emotions. And the enemy who doubts itself has already lost the battle."

 

Toyman clapped his hands together in joy. "All because of my love potion, Mr. Grodd?"

 

"Because of your potion Toyman," Grodd answered as he tapped his finger on his head, "and this marvelous brain of mine."

 

(That evening. The Batcave)

 

Bruce sat in the Batmobile for a long moment before he finally opened the canopy and got out. He'd kept the Penguin's Iceberg Lounge under surveillance all day, hoping that she'd show up, either in costume or not. At the moment, there was nothing more important to him than to see Selina.

 

Alfred met him at the computer with tea. As Bruce removed his cowl and sat down, Alfred offered him a cup of the hot brew. "Good evening, Master Bruce."

 

"Thanks." Bruce took a sip and set the cup down. "I didn't find her, Alfred."

 

Alfred retrieved the cup and set it back onto the serving tray. "I thought not, sir. Miss Maven called, in response to your inquiry, and said she hasn't heard from Miss Selina since she left for Paris two weeks ago."

 

Bruce's expression brightened. "Paris? Call the airport. We'll leave for Paris tomorrow morning."

 

"Very good, sir. But first," Alfred cleared his throat, "you have a visitor."

 

"Who? Selina?"

 

"Me." It was Shayera's voice. She floated out of the shadows toward Bruce with her wings fully extended.

 

"My word," Alfred gasped as Shayera hovered in front of Bruce as naked as the day she was born.

 

In a throaty voice, Bruce had never heard her use before she said, "I am your tsat. Nugjat Maj! Now!"

 

 

 

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CHAPTER THREE

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Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps. - Much Ado About Nothing

 

(The Daily Planet)

 

The pizza was lukewarm, but it didn't stop Lois from having a third slice. She sat at her desk with her chair facing Clark's across the aisle. Clark sat facing her.

 

"What I can't figure out is how Manheim knew that I'd been to Omiex," she said.

 

Clark glanced out the window into the night sky as he picked a piece of pepperoni off his pizza and ate it. "Maybe the receptionist or Keel's agent called Moxie and told him you were there." He paused, taking a bite of his pizza. Something wasn't right. "But calling Moxie and his showing up to intimidate you would only confirm to the dumbest of the dumb that there was a connection to Intergang and that he was hiding it." He shook his head. "Would you show up to deny something that no one has accused you of?"

 

Lois didn't answer and instead stared at Clark like he had a third eye. "Dumbest of the Dumb, huh?"

 

"Come on. You know what I mean."

 

Lois was thoughtful for a moment, then put the uneaten crust of her pizza down. "Okay, Smallville. He denied Omiex was part of Intergang," she said, "but he didn't deny he had a connection to it."

 

They were both silent. Suddenly Lois brightened. "I wonder exactly who Mercy Graves sold Omiex to." She spun her chair around to face her desk and started searching company records.

 

"Good question," Clark said.

 

"Well, duh. That's why I asked it."

 

It was hard for Clark not to smile, but he held his expression flat. "Hmm, look here," she said. "LexCorp sold the company to Steed International. Seems like your investigator isn't working for Omiex, Omiex is working for her company."

 

Clark stood. "And who owns Steed International?"

 

Lois typed a little more and then chuckled. "You won't believe this. Steed International is a wholly owned subsidiary of LexCorp. Graves sold Omiex to a company she owned."

 

"I guess Luthor made a good choice in choosing her to run his empire." Clark turned away from her as he mumbled, "Maybe one of the last good decisions he made."

 

Lois smirked. Suddenly, the smile fell off her face, "You know, I wonder if we've been asking the wrong questions."

 

"Huh?"

 

"Maybe it's not about who benefits if the insurance company makes a payout, but rather about who benefits if the businesses are destroyed."

 

Clark considered what Lois said, recalling the trash removal trucks at the site he met Venus Smith. "Yeah, like the people who do the demolition work and the trash removal." He paused. "I saw a trash truck at two of the sites today. I think the name was Trashex."

 

Lois shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant, but hold on to that thought. I was talking about the building owner, not the tenant. He's also insured and gets paid for tenant damages to his building." She shuffled papers around on her desk, before looking up at Clark. "Do you have that list of buildings damaged in the last month?"

 

Clark went to his desk and returned with the list of businesses Venus Smith had given him. Lois keyed in the first ten addresses and then leaned back. "I smell an Excalibur Award coming up. All of these buildings have the same owner, Manheim Holding Company. The legal owner is listed as Bruno Manheim, Moxie's dead son. Any bet that Moxie owns the rest of the buildings?"

 

"No bet."

 

Clark pulled a business card out of his shirt pocket, glanced at it and then dialed the phone.

 

After two rings he heard, "Venus Smith."

 

"Miss Smith," he said. "Clark Kent here. Sorry to bother you at this hour, but I may be able to help you regarding the payout problems you've been having. But I need some information that you can get for me quicker than I can get it by other means."

 

"Kent, make it quick. I have work I have to do."

 

"This won't take long. I know your company is making insurance payments to the tenants. Are you also making payments to the property owners?"

 

"No. That's not us. Anything else?"

 

Clark paused, thinking that she sounded unusually curt. He glanced at his watch and realized it was almost eight o'clock. "Can you give me the name of the insurance companies that paid the building owners?"

 

"LexCo Insurance."

 

"LexCo Insurance," Clark repeated. He watched Lois type in the name. "Who else?" Clark said into the phone.

 

"That's it. LexCo insured all the damaged buildings." She paused. "They've paid out more than ten million so far."

 

"Miss Smith, you've been very helpful. I'll keep you updated."

 

"Kent, remember our deal. Nothing I said in print." Smith paused before adding, "Thought you might like to know, however, that I've endorsed paying the Keel claim."

 

Clark tapped Lois on the shoulder. She looked up as he continued, "Thanks for that bit of information, too, Miss Smith. I know Mr. Keel will be happy to know you've recommended payment of his claim."

 

"Good," Lois said as Clark hung up.

 

His eyes narrowed. "Manheim has collected more than ten million dollars from LexCo. I'll bet Moxie's concern about Omiex was a red herring to keep us focused on everyone else but him. I think he's destroying his own buildings for the insurance, probably to finance Intergang."

 

(The next morning - the Batcave)

 

Bruce was exhausted. Something was definitely wrong, but he couldn't quite place his finger on it, aside from Shayera being at his mansion.

 

He leaned back in his chair in front of the Batcomputer staring blankly at the screen.

 

"Bats. Pick up. I've got a problem." Flash, on the private channel just for the seven of them.

 

"Tell me what you think the problem is," Bruce said, radiating as much irritation at being disturbed as he could.

 

"Let me put it this way. I think I made a fool out of myself with Vixen." There was panic in his voice.

 

"As opposed to what you regularly do, I suppose," Bruce answered.

 

"Bats, I'm serious. I tried to hit on Vixen, like, really hit on her, and I don't know why."

 

"You don't? Weren't you the one who said she was cute? Or were you just referring to the doll?"

 

"Come on. I mean, I know why, but I don't know why. This isn't making any sense, is it?"

 

First Shayera, then Flash. "My place. Ten Minutes."

 

"I'm in Central City. I was thinking more like one minute."

 

"Be here in ten minutes. No earlier. Batman out!"

 

Alfred placed a cup of coffee in front of Bruce. "What about your ... guest, sir?"

 

"Get her up. Give her coffee and breakfast upstairs and then escort her down here in an hour. Flash was right. There is a problem. I just need to confirm what it's not."

 

 

Alfred placed the serving tray on the nightstand. Then he threw open wide the window curtains of the guest bedroom. The sunlight streamed in, brightening the room. The woman in the bed lay on her stomach, her wings extended past the edge of the bed, past the edge of the covers.

 

Alfred approached and gently shook the bed. "Miss? Miss Hol? Time to awake."

 

The woman stirred and then looked at Alfred with a look of horror and confusion. "What the --? Alfred? What's going on?"

 

She turned over, glanced under the sheets and the look of shock deepened. "Where are my clothes?" she demanded.

 

Alfred remained calm. "Good morning, Miss. Your clothing is hanging in the closet. Your weapon is next to the sitting chair in the corner."

 

Alfred noted that she looked at the mace first before she looked at the closet. "Where's Batman?"

 

"Master Bruce is downstairs with a visitor. Miss, permit me to ask if you remember any thing about last night?"

 

"No," she answered too quickly. Alfred suspected she was lying.

 

"I thought not, Miss," he continued. "You seemed very -- disoriented last night." He lifted the cover off the serving tray to reveal pancakes, bacon and coffee. "Please eat. Master Bruce would like to see you within the hour in the cave."

 

"Yeah, I bet. I want to see him too," she said sharply as she picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite.

 

"Miss, let me ease your mind," Alfred said in his softest voice. "Nothing occurred between you and Master Bruce last night. He brought you up here and left. I stayed in that chair all night," he said pointing to the sitting room chair in the corner. "To ensure you did not harm yourself."

 

"And who undressed me?"

 

Alfred's tone didn't change. "I'm afraid you did that yourself in the Batcave last night when Master Bruce returned from his rounds."

 

The look of shock returned to her face. "Nugjat Maj!" she mumbled.

 

"I believe those were the very words you spoke last night," Alfred said. Neither he nor Master Bruce knew exactly what the English translation was for the phrase she used, but he could guess at its meaning based on her state of undress and the look in eyes.

 

Her eyes widened. "Oh, no."

 

Her crestfallen look confirmed his thoughts. "Rest assured," he offered, "your honor was not compromised. Now please eat and get dressed. I'll come for you in forty-five minutes."

 

Her silence was Alfred's invitation to excuse himself.

 

 

"I tell you, Bats, before I knew it I was in Australia, and the only thing that mattered was that I had to see Vixen. I'm lucky she didn't kill me and I'm not sure GL won't."

 

After Vixen told him how he behaved, Wally had done what he did best and he'd taken a run to try to clear his head and figure out what had happened and why. His conclusion after twenty-three laps of the planet: no idea.

 

"So, why come to me?" Bats said.

 

Wally's head hurt. "Because I don't know why I did what I did and I sure as hell can't go to anyone else to find out. I was hoping maybe there was something wrong with the ear pieces like when Luthor got control of the girls via a subsonic frequency."

 

"That's not it."

 

"You already checked?"

 

"I checked."

 

Wally let out a sigh of relief, then smirked. "Wait a minute. You were affected too, weren't you?"

 

Bats frowned. "Something affected us yesterday. We need to find out what. I want you to contact Lantern, Superman and Diana from the orbiting watchtower. Got that? From the orbiting Watchtower communication room using the private channels. We'll meet back here in two hours."

 

"What about Shayera?"

 

"I'll contact her," Bats said. He turned back to his computer console.

 

A wide grin crossed Wally's face. "I see."

 

"Shouldn't you be moving?" Bats said without looking up.

 

Wally smirked and zipped out the cave.

 

 

Shayera came down the stairs escorted by Alfred. Bruce continued to enter data into the computer.

 

"Will you being requiring anything else, sir?" Alfred asked.

 

"Yes, delay my Paris trip until tomorrow morning, Alfred."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

Alfred turned to leave, but stopped when Shayera tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Thank you." Alfred offered a quick smile and then left.

 

Alfred was near the top of the stairs when Bruce spun his chair around so he faced Shayera. She lowered her head to avoid his eyes as she said, "Alfred said I made quite a fool of myself last night."

 

She looked up in time to see Bruce's eyes widened in disbelief. "Well, he didn't say it in those words," she corrected. "But he implied --"

 

"That you were amorous?" Bruce interjected. "Lecherous? Lewd? Lustful? Stop me if you hear one you like."

 

Shayera frowned. "I got your point. Just how big a fool did I make of myself -- and don't you dare answer on a scale of one to ten."

 

"It wasn't just you. Something has affected all of us. Thankfully, the effects seem to be temporary."

 

"All of us? That would explain Diana."

 

"Diana?"

 

Shayera shook her head as she took out her earpiece. "She was in my ear for hours yesterday. I do remember turning it off before coming here."

 

Bruce's expression was flat. He knew what Shayera was saying, but he didn't want his face to betray him. "How much about last night do you remember?" he asked.

 

"I remember coming here and then not much else. According to Alfred, I took my clothes off in front of you when you came back from your patrol."

 

"Not quite," Bruce said. "You were already naked when I first saw you."

 

She lowered her head again and sighed. Bruce paused to consider just how big a fool he would have made out of himself if he'd found Selina last night.

 

"I knew something was wrong when I saw you here last night," he continued. "It was clear you weren't yourself. So I gassed you with knockout gas."

 

"You what?" Any embarrassment she had was replaced with anger.

 

"You weren't happy about that either, but I didn't want you running all over Gotham underdressed. Let me see your earpiece."

 

Shayera handed Bruce her earpiece. He noted her mouth was drawn into a tight line, her brow furrowed as he placed the earpiece on an oscilloscope and then handed it back to her. "It's clean."

 

"What were you looking for?" Shayera paused. "Wait. I got it. You wanted to make sure it wasn't receiving a signal besides ours."

 

Bruce nodded. "Put it back in your ear." He waited for her to do so, then said, "When I give you the signal I want you to say: 'I'm on my way.'"

 

Shayera's eyes narrowed as Bruce pressed his earpiece. "Batman to Shayera. Meet me at my place in one hour."

 

He nodded at her and she parroted: "I'm on my way." Shayera pointed to her earpiece. "Why?"

 

Bruce turned back to his computer. "Where you are is nobody's business but ours. To the others it will sound as if you are on your way here and not that you spent the night here."

 

Shayera smiled. "Thank you. I don't know what else to say except --" She frowned and put her finger in air signaling: wait.

 

Then she sighed deeply. "Yes, Diana, I'm on my way to Batman's place. Yes, Diana, I can talk to you when you get here. Yes, Diana, I promise. Okay." She turned to Bruce and frowned.

 

"Amazon trouble?" he smirked.

 

"Real funny. You sound like you're jealous."

 

Bruce frowned. "Not jealous, but it confirms what I thought."

 

 

 

xxxxxxxxxx

CHAPTER FOUR

xxxxxxxxxx

 

We that are true lovers run into strange capers; but as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature in love mortal in folly. - As You Like It

 

(Grodd's Hideout)

 

Sinestro stared hard at the gorilla in front of him. Just a few months ago, he'd stood with Luthor against this animal, but he'd misjudged Luthor's mad ambition -- just like everyone else. After the defeat of Darkseid, he vowed he'd never give another Earthling a chance to play him for the fool.

 

"Sinestro. Welcome," Grodd said with his arms extended. "I can't tell you how pleased I am that you've agreed to join my little troupe."

 

"I had my reservations, but Toyman and Frost convinced me that I could kill you if you became undependable like Luthor did."

 

Grodd glanced at Frost, who didn't meet his eyes, before looking back at Sinestro. He folded his arms across his chest. "Well, let's certainly hope it doesn't come to that."

 

He paused. "However, it's interesting that you should mention Luthor. I have plans for him to finance our new operations."

 

Sinestro's smirked. "Maybe you haven't heard, Grodd, but Luthor's gone or dead and I seriously doubt he mentioned you in his will."

 

"Maybe not, but Luthor will provide us with seed money for our new endeavor."

 

The gorilla grinned and Sinestro realized how much he never liked this animal's smile.

 

"In fact," Grodd continued. "It's time for me and Lex to settle our accounts. Won't you run an errand with me?"

 

"Not until I hear about your plan to deal with the Justice League," Sinestro said.

 

Grodd grinned. "The Justice League at this moment has more problems than it can deal with. They don't know we're here and even if they did, they are so distracted with their own issues, they don't have a clue that a ten million dollar heist has just occurred under their noses."

 

(The Batcave)

 

"Lantern!" Batman snapped. "Pay attention to me. Where'd you spent last night?"

 

"At the Metrotower with Diana."

 

Diana frowned. "Hera knows he wouldn't leave my side." She turned to Shayera. "Why'd you turn your commlink off?"

 

"I must have bumped it," Shayera answered as she glanced at Batman.

 

Batman turned to Superman. "Where were you last night?"

 

"Working late at the Planet."

 

Batman's frown deepened. "Was Lois working late too?"

 

Superman's expression didn't change. He said nothing.

 

"I take that as a yes," Batman continued. "Yesterday, we were all affected by something that caused us to act on our hidden love interests such as Lantern fawning over Diana."

 

"What?" John barked. "I don't fawn."

 

"Let's ask Vixen about that," Shayera mumbled.

 

"You got something you want to say?" John replied angrily.

 

"Apparently, I've got no say, as I remember you telling me."

 

"You two take it someplace else," Batman snapped. "As I was saying, Lantern's interest in Diana or Diana's sudden interest in Shayera."

 

"Whoa," Wally exclaimed. "Didn't see that one coming." Then he shrugged his shoulders, "Well, maybe I did."

 

Both Shayera and Diana glared at him.

 

"It caused Flash to cross the globe looking for Vixen," Batman added.

 

Wally's mouth dropped and he flashed a worried look at John as he said, "But, we're not responsible, right? Cause like, I didn't do anything. Honest."

 

"No, we're not responsible," Batman said. "Some outside force is causing us to do this and whatever it is, it's associated with the Metrotower. I've been monitoring the radio traffic over there and it's pure chaos. Doctor Light and Dove have locked themselves in the rec room. Gypsy and the Creeper have barricaded the computer room and Ice and Mr. Terrific have sealed off the gym."

 

Wally shook his head. "Ice and Terrific?"

 

Bats ignored him as he pressed a key on his computer and digital, thermal and photographic images of the Metrotower appeared on the screen. "I have checked and rechecked," Batman said. "No beams of radiation or sound aimed at the building, at least nothing detectible. Nothing in the water supply."

 

"Well, that stinks," Wally said.

 

"Exactly," Batman agreed. "It has to be something in the Metrotower air."

 

Shayera nodded. "That's why Diana and John are still affected?"

 

GL's eyes narrowed as he snapped at Shayera. "What are you talking about? I'm not affected by anything." He looked at both Bats and Shayera. "I've always felt this way about Diana. Jealousy doesn't become you - either one of you."

 

Shayera glanced at Bats. "Yeah, he's definitely still affected."

 

Diana stepped next to Shayera and said to John, "I think there maybe some truth to what they're saying. How else do you explain your sudden ... infatuation with me, John?"

 

"John?" Supes and Bats chorused.

 

Diana looked at Shayera as she said, "Well, that's his name and he told me saying his name was important to him." She moved her hair off her face and smiled. "Maybe we should get together and compare notes, huh? I could even help you with your preening. Wouldn't that be fun?"

 

Shayera cleared her throat, flashed a quick fake smile at Diana, but said nothing.

 

"The effects seem to wear off twelve to fourteen hours," Bats continued, "after we leave the building. Flash has a faster metabolism than the rest of us, so his wore off first."

 

Wally's eyes lit up. "That's why you wanted me to use the Watchtower comm to let the others know to meet here."

 

"Didn't want you going in the building and getting re-infected."

 

"Shouldn't we tell the others in the building about the gas?" Shayera asked.

 

"Tell them what? That once again we're vulnerable in our Headquarters? That we don't have an antidote for this? That we only think that there's a problem?" He paused. "Should I go on?"

 

"I get your point," Shayera said. "Again!"

 

"We all do," Superman said. "There's no need to shake anyone's confidence in the League, including our own. So where is it coming from?"

 

"My guess is the air conditioning system," Batman said. "You need to check it out. You're the one with x-ray vision. I would start with the air intake system on the roof. Take Lantern with you. Shayera and Flash go to the Watchtower and stay there. Don't let anyone beam down to the Metrotower and don't let anyone from the Metrotower up to the Watchtower. Tell them the transporters are off-line for a defective part. Tell them the Javelins aren't space worthy. Tell them anything."

 

He looked directly at Shayera as he pointed his finger at her and said, "Do whatever you have to do, but don't allow any movement between the two stations. Got it?"

 

Shayera nodded slowly and slapped her mace in her hand. "Got it!"

 

"Diana stays here with me," Bats continued.

 

"And now we know who you were interested in," Wally smirked.

 

"No, you don't," Batman snapped. "Now go!"

 

Shayera grabbed Wally's hand. "Watchtower, Flash and Shayera to beam up. Now!"

 

"Wait a minute, Bats," Wally said. "If you weren't interested in Diana, then it must have been you and -"

 

Wally and Shayera disappeared before Wally could finish.

 

 

Grodd and Sinestro traveled in a cloaked energy bubble to the Somerset district of Gotham City, where they waited beside a large oak tree outside the gates of Arkham. Beyond giving Sinestro directions, the two said very little to each other.

 

Grodd wasn't concerned about this renegade Lantern's threat to kill him. If a problem arose, he would simply will Sinestro to kill himself and that would be the end of the matter. His own near-death experience in space had heightened and increased his mental abilities far beyond what they were before.

 

He feared no one on this planet, not now.

 

A black sedan pulled up to the oak tree and stopped. Sinestro made a path for Grodd to walk on so he wouldn't leave any footprints. As Grodd approached, the rear window of the Lincoln Continental rolled down, and the man inside handed Grodd a satchel.

 

Grodd took the valise, opened it and inspected the contents. Satisfied, he said to the man inside the car, "Thank you, Mr. Manheim. I won't forget you, but you and your driver will forget about me and what has just happened here. And now our business is completed."

 

Grodd paused, glanced back at Sinestro before addressing Manheim again, "As you proceed down the hill, the road will bear to the left. You will bear to the right. The shortcut is to the right and you want to take the shortcut. Is that understood?"

 

Manheim and his driver both repeated, "Bear to the right."

 

"Excellent. Good day, Mr. Manheim. Have a safe trip."

 

Sinestro joined Grodd from the shadows as the car sped off. He formed an energy bubble around them both.

 

"You know he will drive off the road, over the cliff, and fall two hundred feet, don't you?" Sinestro said.

 

Grodd nodded. "He was just a courier. Using this marvelous organ in my head I made him destroy his buildings, collect the insurance money from Lex Luthor's companies and then turn it all over to me without realizing what he was doing."

 

Grodd raised the satchel. "In here, I have ten million dollars in cash and bearer bonds courtesy of Lex Luthor." He grinned as he added, "It was the least Luthor could do."

 

Sinestro smiled. "I like the way you work." His yellow energy bubble lifted off and headed back to Metropolis.

 

"I know where Giganta's at if you're interested," Sinestro said.

 

"What was that line in that old movie: This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Yes, Sinestro. I am most definitely interested."

 

 

Lantern and Clark stood in an energy bubble hovering over the air conditioning system on the roof of the Metrotower.

 

Clark's face betrayed no emotion as he wondered why he wasn't affected by the gas. Maybe it only worked on humans. Shayera was an alien to this planet, too. Did it work on her? Come to think of it, Bruce specifically didn't mention her.

 

Or, Clark reasoned, maybe the gas did work on him and that was the point of Bruce's question about where he was last night. With Lois.

 

"You know, I never realized how much I liked Diana until yesterday," Lantern said.

 

Clark frowned. "Give it a rest, Lantern. What you feel for her, she doesn't feel for you. Understand? You heard Batman. We were all probably affected by the gas."

 

Lantern was quiet, then said, "You got a girlfriend at the place you work? I mean, does the secret you have a girlfriend where you work or is the Lane woman it?"

 

Clark ignored him. "Let's concentrate on the task at hand. You see anything strange about this air conditioning system."

 

"No," Lantern said, "not a thing."

 

"The extended hood on the air intake is made of lead so I can't see through. Now why do you suppose that is?"

 

"Good question. Guess someone flunked the course on how to hide something in plain sight and not attract Superman's attention." Lantern focused an energy beam at the top of the hood extension and swept the beam through the lead hood.

 

"No Kryptonite or bomb," he said. Then using his ring, he cut through the soft metal where it joined the air intake vent. Forming a hand, he set the separated hood top aside. Just on the inside of the intake was an open plastic container full of a red liquid. "Any idea what this is?"

 

"The stuff nightmares are made of," Clark answered. He pressed his finger to his ear. "Batman. We think we found it."

 

"Don't think," Bruce answered. "Make sure. Then put it in an airtight container and bring it back here. But make sure you got it all. Batman out."

 

Clark slowly x-rayed the entire building ventilation system. "That's got to be it. There's nothing else out of place."

 

He looked at Lantern. "Set the container on the hood, then back us off."

 

Lantern did as Clark requested and after backing off a safe distance, let Clark out of the bubble. Clark held his breath and at superspeed flew back to the roof, wrapped the lead hood around the container, taking care not to spill any. Then he fused the lead ball shut using his heat vision.

 

"I take it we're done here," Lantern said as he joined Clark.

 

Clark nodded.

 

"Good! Race you back to the Batcave," Lantern said. "Diana's waiting for me."

 

"You haven't been listening, have you?"

 

"I listened enough to know you never answered my question about your love life," Lantern said.

 

"I know," Clark called back as he flew off toward the Batcave. He'd let Bruce deal with this lovelorn Lantern.

 

(The next day - The Watchtower)

 

"If your face was any longer, Boo, it'd hit the floor," Mari said as she sat down at John's table in the cafeteria. He'd been lost in thought as he stared out the window looking into space. There were lots of long faces in the building today. Most of the members who'd been at the Metrotower within the last twenty-four to forty-eight hours before they shut down the transporters were apologizing to each other for things they know they did, but for which they couldn't remember all the details.

 

Batman seemed to relish recounting to him, after the gas wore off, some of his conversation with Diana and Shayera. How could he face Diana or any of them again? He'd made a complete fool of himself and to make things worse, everyone knew it.

 

Maybe not everyone, but certainly anyone who was important to him knew about it.

 

Except Mari.

 

He acknowledged her with a quiet, "Hi." All she had on her tray was bottled water and lime Jell-O. And at that moment, he recalled Shayera's comment about the gift shop paying for Mari's lunch and he smiled.

 

Then his face froze in a frown. He probably owed Shayera an apology, too.

 

"Missed you the other day," Mari said. "I did see the Flash, however."

 

"Oh."

 

Mari arched an eyebrow as if expecting John to say more. He didn't. He couldn't.

 

"Yeah." Mari took a sip of her water. "He ripped my gown." She looked at him as if she expected him to jump up and hunt Wally down and destroy him in place.

 

She looked disappointed when John said softly, "I'm sure it was an accident."

 

Mari sighed. "It probably was. He offered to buy the dress until I told how much it cost. Then he wanted to know if he could make payments for the next ten years. I told him I'd talk to you." She tilted her head to one side and gave him one of the professional smiles he'd come to recognize. "What do you think I ought to do?"

 

John nodded and said sadly. "He's good for it. I'll help pay for it, too."

 

Mari stood. There was a tinge of anger in her voice that John decided to ignore. "I paid for the dress, John," she said. "What's going on between you two? Is this another one of those 'Secret Seven' things again 'cause I just saw Shayera in the gym and she looks like someone stuck something up her butt and broke it off. Is there anything going on we need to talk about?"

 

John stood, walked over to Mari's side of the table and kissed her on the forehead. "Thanks for paying for the dress. I'll see about getting you reimbursed." He sighed. "It's not anything I can talk about, but I'll try to spend some more time with you to make it up to you. I'm sure Flash will want to apologize to you. I would really appreciate it if you can find a way to accept his apology."

 

John turned, walked out of the cafeteria and headed for the gym. There would be a lot of apologies today. For him, Shayera would be first.

 

(The Batcave)

 

Bruce had attempted to analyze the mixture Superman had brought from the Metrotower. Unfortunately, the heat from the melted lead casing had been sufficient to degrade the material into a brown sludge that defied solid identification. He'd run dozens of samples, but nothing in his databases matched the results. So, something new, potent, and easy to destroy, and Bruce had no way of formulating an antidote in case of another attack.

 

The others hadn't caught onto what had happened in those kinds of terms, and Bruce was content to let that stay the case. That they had not been physically attacked while they were distracted meant that someone had gone to great lengths merely to prove a point.

 

Bruce's frustration was tempered somewhat as he watched Alfred lead Diana down the steps to the cave. Tomorrow, he'd have the ventilation system of the Metrotower modified to prevent tampering. As it stood now, there was a complete air exchange in the building every thirty minutes. The effects of the gas would wear off of those exposed by tonight at the latest, and Bruce kept a close eye on the GPS trackers on each potentially exposed member so there wouldn't be too much trouble.

 

But there was no doubt someone had sent the League a message that they could be struck at anytime.

 

He sighed. This was just another reminder of the stupidity of the five minute head-start.

 

"Shall I delay your Paris trip again, sir?" Alfred asked as he approached.

 

"Cancel the plane, Alfred and thank the crew for me. See that there's something extra in their paychecks."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

Bruce watched Alfred leave. "I have such a headache," Diana said.

 

"Do you want Alfred to bring you some aspirin?"

 

"No, it's not that kind of headache." She paused. "I'm so embarrassed."

 

Bruce shrugged. "You couldn't help it. None of us could -- except for maybe Kent." He shook his head. "I'm not sure he was affected, but everyone else who was in the Metrotower was. Everyone." He flashed a small smile. "Remember that when Lantern tries to apologize to you."

 

The smile faded from Bruce's face as he turned and pointed at the brown sludge on his lab table. "If I didn't know they were either gone or behind bars, I'd swear Luthor or Scarecrow was behind this. This chemical mishmash was brilliant. I could tell just enough from this mess to know that it works on our pheromones and over-rides our normal restraints to people we're already physically attracted to. In short, it allows us to love the people we won't allow ourselves to love.

 

"Like I said, I'm not sure it worked on Kent. But it does explain Lantern's attraction to you and your attraction to -"

 

Diana frowned. "Don't say it." She smiled as she folded her arms across her chest and tapped her foot rapidly on the floor. "So how come you didn't contact me?"

 

"I guess I wasn't attracted to you."

 

Diana glared at him for a moment before breaking into a smile. "You are such a liar."

 

Bruce returned her smile. "If you say so."

 

Her smile broadened. "I say so."

 

 

xxxxxxxxxx

EPILOGUE

xxxxxxxxxx

 

 

The story on page three of the morning edition of the Daily Planet announced the death of reputed mob boss Moxie Manheim and his driver in a single car accident outside of Gotham.

 

Lois Lane and Clark Kent put together their story of an insurance scam run by Manheim and Intergang, making no mention of Venus Smith and Omiex. Bank records showed that Manheim converted over ten million dollars of Manheim Holding Company assets to cash and bearer bonds hours before he died.

 

Both Daily Planet reporters were nominated for Excalibur Awards for "Outstanding Investigative Journalism." They lost to Julian Frey for his "Internet Drug Ring" story.

 

None of the money LexCo paid out in losses was ever recovered.

 

END

 

 

 

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