JustIce League: The Malignant Uprising

Arguments for Now

First, there was darkness. A darkness that dominated time and constantly expanded.

Second, there was light. A light that overcame the blackness to push forward into an unknown dawn. 

Third, there was a trade off. There was a scale that fell, one that balanced the shackles of hope and hopelessness for centuries, tipped in an unforeseeable direction. There was a switch between purity and incomprehensible nothingness.

And so the day began.

Stars were twinkling and bursting with light as the Justice League's Watchtower circled the Earth for the thousandth time. 

The tower was filled with murmurs of confusion as sunlight poured into the tall, glass windows. All of the whisperings sounded like ghosts chanting. The tiled floor of the cylindrical plaza screeched as eager footsteps went to gather below the second floor holding the zeta tubes.

The plaza of the Watchtower had two floors. The first was a large, circular, space where everyone conversed and relaxed at metal tables scattered throughout the room. The giant windows of the tower extended from the floor to the ceiling and connected the two floors of the room. In the corner, a metal, spiral staircase rose to the second floor.

The second floor was only half the size of the first floor, and was known as the monitor platform. It's silver tiled floor jutted out from the wall and stopped in the middle of the room. A black railing covered the edge of the floor's drop-off and was decorated with colorful banners and flags of the Justice League and United Nations. Sitting humbly near the stairs, a long control panel loomed, surrounding the walls of the second floor, coming to a stop at the collection of zeta tubes near the windows. It was a place filled with humongous screens and keyboards to monitor Earth's missions. 

The beginning of an argument could be heard coming from the monitor platform. Wonder Woman and Batman stood rigid as they tried to keep their voices down.

"Are you sure?" Wonder Woman said. Her gut was eagerly waiting an answer. 

For months, a new threat had been growing and seemed to be giving the League as much trouble as possible. The unknown threat had staged robberies and created almost untamable fires that were causing chaos in crowded cities all around the world. 

"Positive," replied Batman. 

Wonder Woman rubbed her temple. She had a horrible gut feeling that weighed her down. 

Superman interrupted her thoughts as he flew over the railing and joined the two in conversation. "Then we can't waste time. Not anymore."

Wonder Woman crossed her arms. "You and your super-hearing..."

Superman tried to give a witty smile. "It's time to go," said Clark, eyeing Batman.

Batman was hunched in a chair, fist under his chin. "No." His voice was callous, which surprised Superman, but Bruce didn't want Superman's impulsive reactions. He needed control. "They've been hidden from us for over fifteen years. If they're rising now, there's a reason why. If we just storm in, and they have the stolen tech from these robberies, and the ammunition that's causing the fires, we can't just rush into this. Their power could be the end of the Justice League." There was an awkward pause as the to heroes sighed with frustration. 

This situation wasn't right. Nothing about it was. The emotions of the entire League were mixed, mostly in turmoil and fear. They didn't want to fight this battle, but they knew that everyone here was a hero that signed up for the job.

"Then what do we do?" Said Wonder Woman, trying to break the silence. She was trying to implicate the optimism she grew up with even though she knew it was pointless. 

"We study them." Batman turned away from all of the stares. He knew that that choice would anger everyone. It would make everyone hate him, but it was the right one. It was the one that would protect everyone.

"Batman," Superman replied. He tried to keep his voice firm. He had to get Batman to agree with him. It was a necessity that they all fought this threat together and united. "People could get hurt if we don't act." His voice spoke with annoyance and anger. Batman turned and looked Superman in the eyes. Bruce sighed.

"I know," Batman said. "Don't think I do this lightly." His expression was dull and almost empty, but no one could see those feelings hidden behind the mask he wore. 

Superman looked disgusted. He was beginning to grow angry. "You're doing it again! Even after what happened last time. What is it with you risking innocent lives," Clark stuttered, "for, for-"

"The greater good," Batman corrected.

"For your experiments!" Superman's eyes flashed red with laser vision. It soon subsided when he looked down at the rest of the League, slowly gathering below. Fear could be felt in the air. He looked back to Bruce and whispered, "this is not how we want the world to look at us again." His tone was cold.

"If this is about the Jelapose-," started Batman.

"You know very damn well it isn't!" Superman's face was flushed red. He knew Bruce was stubborn, but he was in utter disbelief at his apathy, and he knew that this situation was timely.

"Sometimes being the hero-," Batman said with conviction. 

Superman cut him off with rage. "Means doing the right thing no matter what." Superman's voice was low and was almost to a growl. He stared into the eyes of Batman's mask. "Right now, the right thing to do is help those who cannot help themselves. We need to do something so they won't get hurt!"

Batman replied with the same monotone voice as earlier. It was a sound that seemed distant. "I think the best way to approach the matter is to observe their-"

"Fine." Superman's nostrils were flaring, and his tall stature grew to a threatening size. "I'm helping those people, and if anyone else wants to do the right thing," he pointed toward the zeta tube and looked down at the League below him. His eyes ventured to all corners of the room, "then go ahead and join me." He stomped to the zeta tubes and was transported to a place where he would stop the threat. He was soon followed by the rest of the team, except Batman, somberly climbing the stairs. Members stared at the Dark Knight, but kept their attention to the tubes, knowing how much resentment the man from Gotham remembered. 

Wonder Woman put a hand on Bruce's shoulder and squeezed. "He's right. We can't argue now." Bruce stared at her as she walked into the mass being transported, but she didn't look back.   

Batman focused back to the monitors. The data and results of the tests were conclusive. He rubbed his face with his gloves. "They're going to kill themselves." Batman grunted heavily. 

He felt a gloved hand rest on his shoulder.

"Then go stop them." Replied a proud tone. "We have your back." Batman turned to see the whole Young Justice team behind him.

"I can't."

"You will."

"You don't understand how dangerous, how unpredictable the Complex can be-"

"Da-," Nightwing paused. He couldn't say that, but didn't want to let Bruce have anymore hesitation. Nightwing stared into Batman's eyes. Nightwing had a gentle stare; one that taught Bruce how to live without fear. "Batman, we know, but were here, and will send you anything that comes up."

"Nightwi-"

"Go," Nightwing said with urgency. Nightwing stared defiantly into his mentor's eyes. "Trust me. They took things from us too. Important things. We'll be here." 

Bruce faced the zeta tubes. He knew that the day wasn't going to end the way he wanted. He knew that this threat was going to be something terrible. He couldn't silence the feeling of catastrophe that strangled his gut. 

But Batman picked up his pace as he walked into the tube. Light blinded his vision, and for a moment, everything was tranquil and quiet.