Super Reporters

Busted?!

Three League Communicators went off. These are designed to pass off as ordinary mobile phones, but any member of the Justice League can recognise the emergency alert.

Switching his off, Clark stared at Bruce and Billy.

Gotham and Fawcett.

Batman and Captain Marvel?!

Their heartbeats raced like his own. Equally freaked out.

He looked at the itty-bitty little boy he's supposed to tutor. The spitfire paled.

A silly grin spread on Bruce Wayne's face. He pulled out his communicator and played with it.

"How did you guys get your hands on one of these?" He caressed the comms as if it were a shiny new toy.

"My guys say these babies are exclusively for Justice League members.

I pay for Batman's gear. I fund the Justice League. I get one too.

My parents were killed by criminals, so my money goes to clean up crime in Gotham and save the Earth," he flaunted his communicator with pride.

Bruce's heartbeat said he wasn't lying.

Billy shot Clark a conspiratorial glance. Does he know?

"Mister Wayne!" The little boy squealed. "That means you are one of the good guys," he dazzled with his dimpled grin. "I was so scared you were an evil criminal mastermind," he shuddered. Clark couldn't help smiling to himself. The boy was laying it on thick.

"You see, Clark is my counterpart from The Daily Planet. We're chasing a dangerous story. Superman protects his friends in the Daily Planet but Clark gives me his signal watch when we team up so Superman loans him his comms," the boy showed off his Superman signal watch. "I think you are being targeted by bad guys because you are so rich, but we're going to catch them and keep you safe."

"Captain Marvel's communicator?" Bruce quirked an eyebrow.

"Captain Marvel only shows up when he's needed. Then he goes away," Billy shrugged. "I keep his comms safe and make sure he's around when he's needed." The boy's heartbeat and steady breathing confirmed the child was telling the truth. "I better call Cap now. Batman will skin him alive if he's late." The tiny child scurried out of the room.

"Hmmm, I got a show to watch. Front seat," Bruce flipped open his comms to reveal a screen. "Only two of these models exist. Mine and Batman's. I paid for them," he smirked as he left the room.

Thunder roared. Billy must have contacted Captain Marvel. It's time for Superman to make his appearance. He changed and headed for the Watchtower.

The core members of the League watched an entire army of spaceships gather around the earth. Each spaceship looked like a giant billiard ball. Missiles couldn't even dent these metallic spheres. The commanding spaceship was shaped like a cue stick. He could imagine what's running through Captain Marvel's head. The Big Red Cheese bounced with excitement.

"Our goal is to get them as far away from our solar system as possible," Batman began.

"Easy peasy," the Captain exclaimed, speeding out the airlock.

The cue-shaped spaceship repositioned itself.

Zooming in on that ship showed Captain Marvel, bubbling with excitement, carrying the enormous spacecraft as if it were no heavier than a cue stick. Closing an eye, sticking out his tongue, he took aim. Then smacking the first sphere with his makeshift cue stick, he sent it spinning, hitting one spaceship after another, each sphere hitting its neighbours as the invaders spun out of sight.

The Captain tossed the cue stick away and sped off.

"Superman, report," Batman growled.

Scouring space with telescopic vision, Superman stifled a chuckle.

"He hit all of them to neighbouring galaxies. It'll be light years before they can regroup."

A red blur from the airlock preceded Captain Marvel's return. "I sent them far enough, I think," he flashed his dazzling smile at Batman, as if expecting some form of approval. Poor naïve Captain. He'd better have a word with Big Red.

Batman glared at Captain, barely concealing his fury.

"What did I do wrong? I completed the first thing on your to do list. What's next?" The Captain looked perplexed.

"Next? You and Superman file in your mission reports. The rest of you are dismissed." With a swish of his cape, Batman left the room.

"Why's he so pissed?" Captain Marvel frowned as he wrote his report.

"You must understand. Batman doesn't have superpowers," Superman lowered his voice.

"He doesn't need them. I mean, he's Batman," Cap frowned.

"His image is everything to him. Fear is his weapon. Strategy is his power. Leadership is his strength," Superman put down his pen. "Don't show him up."

Captain Marvel's hand went up to his mouth, his eyes as large as saucers. "He must really hate me."

"Happened to me too," Superman shrugged. "He's so paranoid, he obsessed with ways to take me down in case I ever go berserk."

"He seems fine with you now," Cap grinned.

"That's because he discovered what Kryptonite does to me," Superman shrugged. "I'm sure he's got some in his lead-lined utility belt."

"Holy Moley!" Cap swore. "Kryptonite can kill you."

"It's his security blanket," Superman clapped Cap's shoulder. "If I do go into a murderous rage, I'd rather he uses it on me than let me kill someone."

"I'd take you down first, so no one needs to poison you," Cap grimaced.

"I'm counting on it," Superman walked off with his report.

*

The mission report took longer than Captain Marvel expected. By the time he was done, Big Blue was gone, but his words played in Cap's head.

Batman and the rest of the Justice League still think he's Kryptonian. He could go with that. Let Batman think Kryptonite is his weakness too then everything will be hunky dory.

He headed to the office to hand in the report. As Batman opened the door, something green glowed behind him.

Kryptonite!

It's showtime!

"Ugh!" He bent over, clutching his stomach as if in agony. Superman would sweat buckets when exposed to Kryptonite. Since Cap couldn't sweat, he'd fake a fainting spell.

"Kryptonite," he gasped, collapsing on the ground.

"What's wrong with Big Red?" Someone piped up.

He peeked and saw the source of the green glow – a very concerned Green Lantern.