Chapter 94: Chapter 88: Batman's request
"Talking"
'Thinking'
<letter>
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Tower of Destiny, June 22, 00:36, 2017
"You know your mother kept the truth from you for your own sake, don't you?" Edgar asked, as he caressed Diana's smooth, soft back.
At this moment, they were both in their bed naked, while a little sweat covered their bodies after a passionate night of love. It had not been wild sex like other times, but a calmer and more romantic one. Where every movement was with the purpose of producing the greatest pleasure to their beloved in a more romantic way.
Diana, who only a light sheet covered her beautiful and curvaceous divine body, was leaning on Edgar's body, while letting herself be pampered by her beloved. Her huge breasts pressed against Edgar's chest, and her skin, immaculate without any imperfection, was going shiver with every caress our protagonist gave her.
Satisfied sighs came from her beautiful lips every time Edgar stroked up and down her back.
They had arrived home, had relaxed as a family with Raven trying to forget the difficult conversation they had had with the queen and in the evening, Diana had simply asked Edgar to make love to her. Something he didn't hesitate a bit to do.
After such a passionate night, and still with a little energy, the two simply stopped to talk about everything that was going on. Diana was already calmer and less hot-headed.
So Edgar, knowing this and knowing her well, began to bring up the subject of her mother. He didn't want tomorrow, when they had another meeting at the Watchtower, to become chaotic because of these problems.
But most of all, he didn't want Diana to lose the relationship she had with her mother, which was a pretty good one, over a lie. He knew it wasn't just any lie. It was a hard and difficult lie that should not have happened, and it hurt Diana badly. But he also understood the queen's predicament and her motives for doing so.
"Sigh. I know. She explained it well and I understand why she did it. But that doesn't take away the pain such a lie made me feel, Edgar. You know me better than anyone. Maybe even more than my mother. And you know that honesty is everything to me. I know she did it to protect me, but I have lived for hundreds of years and I am old enough to know that truth and choose what to do with that information. She had no right to keep it from me" replied Diana, as she looked at her beloved.
The last was said in a dry and harsh manner, giving way to no discussion. Edgar, knowing he was treading on thin ice with this conversation, didn't reply, just nodded and agreed with Diana.
"You're right. She shouldn't have done it. I guess she thought she'd tell you when the time was right. But she kept putting it off, thinking that time wasn't yet. But you know something, Diana. You're very lucky" the last thing made Diana very curious. She didn't understand how she was lucky. She didn't feel that way. Not at the moment. So she asked him.
"Why do you say that, Edgar?"
"Whatever the reasons your mother kept it from you, you can't deny that she did it for your protection. But most of all, you fail to realize that, even knowing that Zeus wanted you as a weapon, she did not do his bidding and raise you as someone of good. In short, she denied Zeus' request, surely risking his wrath, so that you would grow up and go your own way. That's the greatest sacrifice a mother can make for her daughter. It makes me a little jealous. I would even wish to live, even if it would be a scolding again from my mother, just to see her again"
Diana stood up slightly when Edgar said this last. Her eyes reflected surprise that was transformed into pain when she heard the truth from her beloved. It was true. She was complaining about her mother when Edgar had suffered the loss of his parents as a teenager.
"Edgar, I'm sorry. I've been complaining all this time, not knowing how it affected you. And, you're right. She made a lot of sacrifices to avoid that fate Zeus wanted on me. Maybe... maybe I was too hard on her... I don't know. I need to think about it. But I promise you that tomorrow my fight with her will NOT affect the meeting. I will be professional and behave as such. This meeting is very important as we will decide the final details to save our friend"
"You are right. Let's go to sleep, we need to rest for tomorrow's meeting" Edgar nodded. "And relax, I will support you in the decision you make with your mother. I just hope that whatever you decide, you do it with the whole picture in mind"
"Mmm" Diana nodded, as she turned her face to look at Edgar. Stretching a little, she reached for her beloved's lips, and gave him a soft kiss. "I love you. And thank you for always being there for me"
"You are my everything, Diana. I will always be for you. I love you"
With that said, they both closed their eyes, as they surrendered to the power of Morpheus and had a night full of nice dreams. They would need it as tomorrow they would have a difficult meeting. A meeting to decide on the team to carry out the mission to save their friend's life. To save the life of Victor Stone.
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Watchtower, June 22, 02:23, 2017
The night turned quiet. Most of the Justice League members were resting, having one of those rare quiet nights where no major crime, or supervillain deigned to cause trouble.
But this was just the calm before the storm. The quiet night before the big fight that was coming. And the heroes took advantage of every moment of this tranquility. Well, not all of them.
Some members had night patrols, and even though it was a quiet night they still had to do their job as night patrolmen. Others were simply so anxious about tomorrow that they couldn't sleep.
Still others had the thought that rest was not an option. That every second counted. That every second was time to prepare for the hardest fight they had ever had. The fight against the gods.
That was the case with Batman, who hadn't stopped working since he had arrived at the Watchtower. He had configured OMAC in the Watchtower's systems and, with the data obtained from everything that had happened, he was simulating and projecting strategies to present to the League members tomorrow.
Not only that, but because of the lack of time (less than 4 days to go to Valhalla), he was analyzing the strategy to strengthen the skills of the members who will go. His idea was to create special suits that would enhance the strengths and diminish the weaknesses of the Justice League members. But that, now, was no longer an option. At least, not completely.
Only 20 members could go, plus Thor. And time was too short to do anything substantial. He had to rethink the strategy.
Next to him was a small, silver-colored rock, which was being analyzed by several scanners, analyzing its properties. It looked like coal with the difference in color. However, Batman knew the importance of this rock, as this rock would be the key for the heroes to fight on equal footing against the gods.
This rock was called Dilustel, a quasi-artificial mineral created by Ryan Choi, a scientist recruited to the Justice League research team.
The purpose of this rock was to simulating and absorbing all the energy. Which, if the data did not fail, included magic and the divine energy of the gods.
This mineral, with a specific refinement, could be transformed into a metal harder than Promethium or Light Promethium, with the advantage that it could combine other metals, even alien metals such as Nth Metal or Amazonium, from which the weapons of the Amazons derive. And also, it did not affect the technology, so it could also be combined with the nanobots that Bruce handled.
Simply put, it was the best metal on the planet. The most versatile and the most resistant in the world.
The problem is that to refine it required time and costly resources. Time that they didn't have. And with the amount they had, it was not enough to make 20 armors. However, he was analyzing the stone to see how he could make the most of it and be as efficient as possible.
Perhaps, reinforce the suits that the Justice League members already had, which were already more resistant and technological than what they previously had.
Batman was typing commands, analyzing data, and strategizing as if he were a machine. His eyes, which had not even rested to blink, watched the monitor intently as if waiting for any anomaly to happen.
At that moment, a voice, coming from just behind him, spoke to him. Batman, however, did not flinch a bit at this voice. He did not even turn to look at the person from whom the voice came. And that was because he, despite being focused on the monitor, had already sensed the presence of the person who had approached him.
"Batman, did you call me?" the voice, a serious, deep and emotionless voice, spoke to him. It was the voice of Martian Manhunter, who stood behind Batman, watching in mild amazement at all the data that was being presented on the screen.
J'onn was awake because he was on night patrol. Tonight it had fallen to him to be at Watchtower Central command commanding the night troops that were patrolling at night. Quiet night, as it was said, where there was not much action. At one point, Batman had called him to ask him something.
"Mmm. Yes, I did call you" Batman nodded, without turning around and continuing to look at the monitor. "Thor gave us a fairly short time frame to plan strategies for the fight against the gods. That, coupled with the fact that we have limited members to go on that mission, meant that I had to totally change my strategy. That took me out of the time to go see John Stewart (Green Lantern who returned to Earth) and see how he was doing. Any updates?"
"Yes. Some updates..."
Martian Manhunter began to recount everything John had told them. From the destruction of Tamaran, to the 'civil war' of the Guardians and how they were preparing to go to war against the New Gods. Batman looked like he wasn't paying attention, but J'onn, who had telepathy, knew from Bruce's brain waves that his brain was receiving every bit of information he was telling.
Bruce's mental organization was impressive for a mere human with no mental powers. But well, this was the work of an arduous mental training that Bruce trained to be more efficient and that has been improving with the passage of time. Practically, you could say that Bruce's mind behaved in such a methodical way that he could be considered a machine.
"I see. That's a lot of information. Will it affect Earth?"
"Hal said no. All Green Lantern issues are resolved internally. They don't like to meddle between planets. Earth is safe for the time being"
"Understood. By the way, I called you because I need your help. I spoke with Queen Hippolyta and we agreed that it's best to take 17 Justice League heroes and 3 Amazons to the fight with the gods. I've been thinking and I think this list..." at that moment, the monitor changed, showing to the Martian a series of names Bruce had compiled as the 'Best Team' that could fight the gods, "it's the most ideal - what do you think?"
Martian walked over to take a closer look at the names. 'Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman...' There were no surprises, except for a couple that, now that he thought better of it, he could understand why Bruce chose them, as they were quite powerful, but at that, realized that Batman was discreetly passing him a piece of paper underneath.
Martian was going to say something, but saw that Batman didn't react to this, as if he wanted to be discreet about the matter. So Martian discreetly took the paper and returned to the matter of the League's names.
"The names sound good to me. I think it is a very well compiled list. A very versatile and balanced team. I suppose that Queen Hippolyta will choose the warriors who will accompany her?" Martian Manhunter asked, as he glanced sideways at the paper Batman had held out to him. What it said was:
<Read it when you're alone. And don't say anything. I'm afraid it's not safe>
"You guess right. Tomorrow she will reveal her decision" Batman, showing no change, simply nodded and went back to work on the Dilustel data.
"Well, if that's all, I'll be on my way. I need to monitor the night patrol reports"
"Mmm" without another word, Bruce went back to work, as Martian Manhunter walked away. However, J'onn didn't go to central command, but went into a private room and there he opened the paper Batman had laid out for him.
J'onn began to read the paper, but the more he read, the more his martian mind grew numb to the contents of the letter. A content that brought many red alarms for the Justice League. What it said was:
<J'onn, I need your help. I am afraid I have been compromised. My mind and demeanor are not the same as I usually possess. At least, not completely.
For a little over a month now, I have become erratic with my actions. Not always, but at key moments, is when I feel that another person, a 'darker' and, above all, more 'evil' version of me, takes control of my thoughts and actions.
These moments are very specific. When I'm with Selina. When I'm with Dick. Or when I decide to relax with you, the few I can consider friends and not mere colleagues.
Simply put, every time I decide to be 'human', that's when a giddiness begins to arise in my mind that makes me feel a fear for the destruction and chaos that the Earth will suffer from the threats that are about to come. Fear that makes me act in an unconventional way to try to avoid it.
I do not feel it is mind control. Nor some magical behavioral interference. But something more specific. If my thoughts do not fail me, then I fear it is something similar to what happened to Amanda Waller and Vandal Savage.
That is, a demonic power that makes me behave like this. A demonic seed, like the ones Edgar mentioned at the time, trying to grow in my mind in order to corrupt my being.
Therefore, I decided to pretend to be colder and more calculating. I have become more distant with you, with Selina and with my family, getting fully into work. When I don't show my feelings, that's when this giddiness doesn't happen. Simply put, when I'm just being Batman, that's when I feel like I'm fully me again. And this brings up my second theory. I'm being watched.
How?, I don't know. But I know I am. That's why I gave you this letter in the most discreet way, at a time when I felt this situation wasn't happening to me.
You are the only one who knows. And I hope it stays that way. Because, if it is what I think, then the demons are waiting for me to betray you and become 'evil'. And you are the only one with the ability to stop me. If something happens to me and I decide to go against you, then you are the person who has to stop me with your powers, J'onn.
Whatever it takes....
P.S: When you finish reading this, go back to the room and modify my memory to forget that I gave you this paper. I don't want they to think that I am already suspicious of their plan. I ask you, J'onn, you are the only one I can trust right now>
Martian Manhunter was totally shocked to read the letter. However, he still did as the Bat asked. Quietly, he left his room and flew to the research room where Batman was.
Batman, either because he was engrossed in what he was analyzing or simply ignored the Martian's presence, showed no sign of knowing that the J'onn was there.
Martian Manhunter was hesitant to do as the letter asked, but, seeing that the situation was probably dire, and knowing that Bruce wouldn't ask him if he didn't think it was necessary, he put his doubts aside and quickly summoned his power.
His eyes turned green as he subtly entered Bruce's organized mind. He didn't know if it was because Bruce allowed him to or for another reason, but his navigation of the Bat detective's mind was so subtle and quick that it seemed like a simple trip in the park for the telepathic Martian.
He quickly found that memory, the one that just happened, and modified it, leaving only the parts of the conversation and erasing the transition in which Batman gave him the paper he had just read.
Without another word, and without making a sound, Martian Manhunter returned to the operations room to continue monitoring the night patrols.
However, it was a restless night for the Martian, as his mind was filled with thoughts of the letter and all that it might imply for the future.
The only conclusion he could draw was: the demons looked more dangerous than the gods, and that was saying a lot. The future did not bode well for the Justice League and the world....
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TioIroh99 (10 chapters ahead)
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